


Fallen

by JPhoenix



Category: Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-02-27 14:48:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 90,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2696906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JPhoenix/pseuds/JPhoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nyx and Caden are guests from Midgard, but Thor has suspicions that Odin is lying and asks Loki to help him find the truth. </p><p>Takes place before Thor, has a plot, smut, and is somewhat AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Loki Isn't Watching

**Author's Note:**

> Fallen isn't finished yet (I'm at 97,378 words/401 pages as of last night) but I've started editing a little so I can start posting chapters.

CHAPTER 1

She never made eye contact, Nyx of Midgard. Not that Loki cared. He thought it ridiculous that Odin had allowed her and her guardian, Caden, to stay on Asgard. They were even given guest chambers within the palace.

He returned to his book, deliberately tuning out the harsh words being growled at the young woman. He couldn’t hear the specifics and wasn’t interested enough to spy.

“Brother.”

He snapped his book shut and turned his head to look at Thor, who was striding down the hall towards him. “Brother,” he said with a nod. Thor stopped in front of him and vaulted up onto the wall he was seated on. 

“Have you been observing them?” he asked, indicating the end of the hall where Caden and Nyx had just turned left, probably going back to their rooms.

“No, why?”

Thor leaned against the column to his right and stretched his legs out in front of him, nearly coming into contact with Loki’s hip. He shoved at his brother’s gigantic booted feet and Thor laughed before turning serious again. “I fear Father is lying to us. I do not believe our guests to be of Midgard.”

Now that was interesting. “What makes you say that?”

“Caden joined us at training this morning. He is stronger than a Midgardian. He _threw_ Volstagg.”

Loki couldn’t help his laugh. “Thor, you don’t know any Midgardians. You’ve never been there.”

“And you have?”

He ignored the question and focused instead on what Thor had said. “Volstagg? Really? That _is_ impressive.”

“Why would Father lie to us? And don’t you think it strange Mother doesn’t interfere on behalf of the woman?”

He had wondered in passing. Caden was both verbally and physically abusive by Asgard’s standards. He’d observed him twisting Nyx’s arm as he’d seated her at dinner the evening prior. True, it had been quick and she hadn’t protested, but in truth it had turned his stomach. “I do not know, Brother.” He tapped his finger against the leather binding of his book. “Shall I go to Mother and express concern for Nyx?”

Thor grinned. “And perhaps use your talents to listen in a bit?”

#

Loki simply took himself and his book to a location Frigga was sure to pass through. He read there often, so it wouldn’t appear at all strange to his mother to find her youngest son on a bench along the garden path. His only obvious play was his worried look towards the northeast corner of the palace. 

Patience, fortunately, was one of his strengths. It took three hours for her to come upon him. “Loki, dear, what troubles you?”

He feigned reluctance to speak of it, and opened his book. She sat next to him and reached for his hand. “It is a lovely afternoon, Mother. Are you well?”

“Loki,” she admonished. “Do not put me off.”

He sighed. “It is not my business.”

She squeezed his hand and again urged him to speak. He paused a few seconds for effect. “The Lady Nyx. I...her guardian is...Mother, I fear for her safety,” he blurted.

“They are of Midgard. Things are done differently there. I too find Caden to be harsh and physically threatening, though I have not observed him carrying out any actual punishment.”

“He twisted her arm as he seated her at the table last night. I saw him all but dragging her in the direction of their rooms today. And Mother? She never meets the eyes of men.”

Frigga sucked in a breath and flinched ever so slightly; his mother was no fool and knew what Loki implied. She stood and smoothed her dress. “This remains between us for now. I shall speak to your father at once.”

He stood and offered his arm. His mother declined, urging him instead to stay and read. “I cannot concentrate,” he admitted.

Her look was sharp and he wondered if he’d overplayed his hand. She didn’t comment, however, and instead took his arm when he offered it to her for the second time. They walked in silence down the garden path and didn’t part ways until they reached the grand staircase. He felt guilty for having upset his mother and tried to shake it off as a necessary part of his and Thor’s quest to gather information, but it was useless. Frigga was kindhearted to the bone and would worry incessantly over the girl thanks to his little nudge. 

At least he hadn’t outright lied. Caden had indeed twisted her arm and dragged her down the hall.

He turned on his heel and briskly made his way back to his own rooms. Thor was already in from afternoon training--it was obvious from the amount of staff scurrying about--so he stopped and knocked at the door. “Brother?”

“Come in, Loki,” Thor shouted from within.

He pushed open the door and sighed. Thor was stripped down and preparing to bathe. “You could have warned me. I have no need to look upon your naked hindquarters.”

“We used to bathe together, Brother. Care to join me? I’ll let you be the king,” Thor joked.

“I was five years old the last time I took a bath with you and you _never_ let me be the king.”

Thor shrugged in a good natured kind of way and stepped around the corner to enter the bath. “You made the best shampoo horns, though.”

He almost laughed. He _had_ made the best shampoo horns. “I spoke to Mother. She said to keep quiet and she’ll discuss it with Father.”

“That was quick. What did you say?”

It was hard to make Thor’s words out over the sound of him splashing, so Loki moved forward and took a seat under the massive window that served as the room’s focal point. He repeated what he’d said to Frigga.

“Sneaky, Loki. I knew you would handle it better than I.”

“I hate lying to Mother.”

“Good. You lie too well to everyone else.”

He ignored the jab and stretched his legs out, thinking. “It could be true. Has Nyx ever looked you in the eye?” he asked after a moment.

The smell of menthol came quickly and was so strong it stung his nose. “Are you injured, Thor? You could have asked me to heal you rather than stink your rooms and your person up with that foul oil.”

“It’s not that bad smelling,” Thor grumbled. “And to answer your question, yes, she has looked me in the eye. It was a brief moment, however.”

Not exactly surprising. His brother drew the eyes of females both young and old. Loki stood once again and prepared to take his leave. “I’m off. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Wait. I have an idea.”

“Do tell.” He sighed.

There was another round of splashing before Thor laid out his plan to pull Caden away from Nyx that evening at dinner. “It should be simple enough. We’ll poke fun at Volstagg and insist Caden sit with us to tell of his achievement on the training field.”

“That’s rather well thought out, Thor. Did you come up with it yourself?”

“I did!”

The oaf didn’t even realize Loki was poking fun at _him_. “And what’s your plan for Nyx? Are you going to have Fandral whisper sweet nothings in her ear with the hope she’ll tell all?”

“No, that would appear as an obvious setup.”

“Well then, your plan falls short, does it not?”

“Prince Loki can whisper sweet nothings in her ear.” Thor chuckled. “Or at least take Caden’s place at her side for the evening.”


	2. Present Me With Proof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frigga tells Odin of Loki's suspicions.

CHAPTER 2

Frigga wasted no time in seeking out her husband, but they weren’t able to steal a private moment until just before dinner. “My lovely wife, what has been bothering you so?” he asked after the last of the servants left their chambers. 

She poured them each a small portion of wine and took a seat. Normally they sat close when they had a few minutes to spare, but not this evening. Frigga wasn’t in a cuddlesome mood. “Loki has observed our guest Caden acting abusively-.”

“Frigga, my-.”

“Do let me finish.” She glared, and Odin wisely shut his mouth. “Loki suspects abuse of an intimate nature. I know what your feelings are in regards to our guests, and that you want to keep the matter quiet for as long as possible, but I’ll not tolerate such a thing no matter the stakes.”

“And does Loki have any proof?” 

She bristled. “No, only suspicions. He saw Caden twist her arm, drag her to their chambers, and said she won’t meet the eyes of men. You cannot fault his thinking or his concern. Our son is observant and logical.”

Odin finished his wine in one swallow and briefly closed his eyes. “Tell him to present me with proof and I shall act upon it.”

Momentarily stunned, Frigga froze in the act of setting her chalice down. When she recovered she brought it to her lips instead of setting it aside and took a healthy sip.

“Have I surprised you to such an extent that you dribble your wine?” He reached across with his own linen napkin and dabbed at her chalice before any spilled on her dress.

“Oh, dear,” she said, flustered. “I just...I thought you would deny Loki’s accusations.”

Odin paused, and the eyelid that wasn’t covered drooped ever so slightly. “Caden is ruthless, and I didn’t consider the lengths he might go to. I can’t say it’s not a possibility. On the other hand, Loki may have motives of his own.”

She put her wine down with deliberate care. “What do you mean?”

“Come now, Frigga, you know he’s been to Midgard. He may very well suspect something’s amiss. Caden and Nyx are not common names for Midgardians. I should have thought of it when we concocted the story, but it was late and it didn’t occur to me.”

She thought about it, but her youngest had shown only the faintest interest in their guests. Thor had been the more enthusiastic one when it came to Nyx. “You know if I tell Loki to gather proof at your behest he will stop at nothing.”

Odin nodded.

“And if he’s right?” she pressed.

“I do not know; I will need time to think on it. I cannot allow such tactics, but I cannot stop Caden’s mission, either. It is far too critical.”


	3. Nyx Likes Tricks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor's plan is set in motion.

CHAPTER 3

Loki positioned himself perfectly, and Thor’s plan was executed so smoothly that Caden was swept away before he uttered a single protest. “Lady Nyx, allow me,” he murmured, stepping up and tucking her arm into his. “My brother appears to have robbed you of your companion.”

He escorted her into the dining hall. She didn’t say a word, though he could feel a slight tremor in her arm. When they reached the spot where she normally sat with Caden, she slowed, but Loki kept moving. “No, no, I insist you be my guest,” he said, smiling down at her.

He worked his way around to where he sat and held a chair for her. She hesitated, and for a second he thought she might refuse, but then she sat and looked up at him. Her eyes were a deep chocolate brown, a bit apprehensive, and he locked on for a second too long. It was the first time she’d looked him in the eye. “I...thank you, Prince Loki,” she said politely.

He pulled out his own chair and sat down next to her. “You are most welcome, but please, just call me Loki. May I call you Nyx?”

“Yes.” She glanced to her right and then quickly away. He could guess what had caught her attention. One look confirmed his parents’ arrival at the head of the table. He nodded to them respectfully and pretended not to notice that they, along with half those seated, were staring at him and Nyx. 

“Pay them no mind. It’s me they’re staring at,” he told her.

She didn’t look up from her lap. Her spine was as stiff and straight as a board. Luckily a server appeared at his elbow with wine. He inclined his head at the dolt to serve Nyx first and after both chalices were filled he picked hers up and handed it to her. She didn’t have an altogether steady grip and he noticed how impossibly small her hands were compared to his. “They overfilled your chalice a bit, didn’t they?” He waved his hand slightly and brought the level down to something more manageable for her. 

That got her attention, and she finally looked at him again. “Just a little trick.” He smiled and, to his surprise, received a brief curving up of the lips in return. 

More servers arrived with the first course, and he was annoyed to see several people still watching them. He supposed it was his own fault for never taking a dinner partner that wasn’t assigned. He occasionally entertained a guest for his parents or sat with his brother, and neither scenario had put him one-on-one with a woman. That too was Thor’s territory. The only time the maidens showed him attention was in hopes of getting closer to big brother. One had even wanted an introduction to Fandral. That had been a long time ago, when they were still boys really, but it stayed with him. 

Nyx carefully placed her chalice back onto the table and picked up her fork. He pulled away from his jealous thoughts and considered her a moment before resizing the heavy utensil. She looked at him, clearly startled. “It was heavy for you, wasn’t it?” He leaned in closer. “I think all the dinnerware was selected with my clumsy oaf of a brother in mind.”

She laughed softly. “Another little trick? What else can you do?”

He popped a slice of fruit from his salad into his mouth and chewed, thinking. The table decorations caught his eye and gave him an idea. “What’s your favorite flower?”

She tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear and he caught himself following the movement. “Um, I like daisies. The common ones.”

Her tone hinted at embarrassment again. He didn’t pursue it, instead conjuring a small bunch of daisies in several colors. She gasped and immediately reached for one only to pull back at the last second. “It’s okay, you can touch them.”

She went right for the plain white one and pulled it from the bunch gingerly, feeling the petals. “It’s real, isn’t it?” 

“Yes, of course.”

She fixed him with another quick smile and placed the flower to the left of her plate. He felt someone come up behind him and was surprised when Thor wedged in between his chair and Nyx’s. He hadn’t noticed his brother leaving his seat.

Thor went down on bended knee and addressed Nyx. “My lady, I apologize for stealing away with your guardian. My friends and I wanted to trade stories with him of battles and the training fields.” He reached for her hand and laid one of their mother’s most exquisite lilies across her palm. “A maiden of your beauty should hold only the most precious of flowers. Loki chose unwisely, but he is more enamored of magic and books than ladies. Perhaps you’ll forgive him?” he said playfully, finishing with a wink.

She looked from the flower to Thor to Loki, and then back to Thor. “There’s nothing to forgive. Prince Loki called forth daisies because they’re my favorite. He didn’t even have to steal them from the table’s centerpiece,” she returned with a saucy wink. 

Loki was so delighted he could scarcely wipe the grin from his face. Thor made as though he were horribly wounded and drew to his feet once again. “I shall leave you in the hands of my baby brother then. Please do enjoy yourself.”

Others would never detect it, but Loki could hear the peevishness in Thor’s words. He waited until he was out of earshot to lean in close and whisper, “A lifetime of daisies for you, Nyx.”

“Was I terribly rude?” She cast a worried glance at Thor’s retreating back, and her eyes flicked over Frigga and Odin too before coming back to him.

“Not at all. Thor is just accustomed to all the maidens falling at his feet.”

She went stiff again and he glanced around to see what it was. Caden was shooting daggers at her with his eyes and Loki watched as she folded in on herself. “Oh, dear. Have we caused trouble for you with your guardian? I can speak with him if you wish-.”

“No, don’t do that. I mean, please...it’s not necessary.”

She was definitely afraid of the man. Loki thought it best to drop the subject for the time being. The second course was served and then the third, but she ate very little and avoided looking over at Caden. Caden observed them frequently, though, and every look promised violence. Loki fought the urge to goad him out of concern for Nyx.

Dessert came and went. Thor looked his way and Loki fingered the napkin he’d placed back on the table. For once his brother caught on and glanced down at the linen placed over his lap. He gave the smallest nod and Loki erased the message that read simply “STALL”.

A moment later Thor called loudly for more mead and clapped Caden on the back. “You must tell it one more time, friend, for I believe Fandral wasn’t paying attention.” There was laughter all around and the chalices were topped off as more and more people gathered to hear of Volstagg’s defeat. 

“It’s a clear night. Would you care for a walk in the garden?” Loki stood and offered his arm, and she looked as though she wanted to accept. Instead she shook her head no and apologized, claiming to be tired. “May I walk you to your chambers then?”

More fidgeting. Anger bloomed in his chest like spilled poison. What was that bastard doing to her that she was afraid to even be escorted back to her rooms by a prince? She pushed her chair back and stood, but not before looking to Caden. “Yes, if it’s not too much trouble?”

She took him by surprise. He’d been fully expecting a refusal. When he took her arm he could feel her shaking and almost said something then. She looked up at him with such a pleading expression that he bit his tongue and led her out of the dining room without another word. They went down the first of three hallways before he slowed his pace. “Are you certain you wouldn’t prefer a walk outside?” he asked quietly.

She stopped and tilted her face up to him. He was considerably taller than she was. “I would love to go outside.”

“You’re uncertain of-.” He stopped speaking and listened. Someone had just entered the hall and was moving towards them at a fast clip. He stepped in front of her without thinking and sure enough, it was Caden. He stopped three feet in front them.

“Thank you for looking after her at dinner. I can take it from here.”

They locked eyes, and Loki knew a challenge when he saw one. He refused to look away and so did Caden. Nyx stepped out from behind him and his first instinct was to block her, but then something odd happened. Caden’s eyes flashed. It lasted no more than a split second, and if he had any doubts about what he’d seen they were squashed when Nyx reacted. “Back off, Caden.”

“What?” His head jerked, and he broke eye contact with Loki. 

“You’re being rude to a prince. To the son of our _hosts_ ,” she hissed.

Caden stared at her for a full thirty seconds and so did Loki. 

Enter Thor. His timing was impeccable as always. “Caden! My friend, I can vouch for my brother. He will be a perfect gentleman, I assure you.”

Caden finally looked away from Nyx and over to Thor. “No need. Nyx is right, I’m being rude. My apologies to you, Prince Loki.”

He nodded. It wasn’t gracious, but he didn’t care. Caden gave Nyx one last appraising look before turning and walking back down the hall with Thor. His brother winked over his shoulder and turned back around before Loki could react.

They stood in silence for a beat. “I thought you were afraid of him.”

“I am. He has an awful temper.”

Loki had to smile. “Yet you put him in his place anyway.” He held his hand out that time just to see if she’d take it. She did. “Would you still like to see the garden?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise there's more to this than a damsel-in-distress and blah, blah, blah. I hinted a little, but I'm not sure it comes through and I don't have a beta that I can pester about it.


	4. I've Given You a Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor visits Loki in the middle of the night. Loki talks to his parents. Loki's parents talk to each other. AO3 shouldn't ask for chapter summaries.

CHAPTER 4

“Loki! Are you awake, Brother?”

He pushed himself up in bed. “Well if I wasn’t, I am now.”

Thor tripped repeatedly on his way in. He could have lit the way so his brother could see, but this was much more entertaining. “So graceful, Thor. No wonder the maidens all adore you.”

Thor snorted. “There’s one that doesn’t, and she was on your arm this evening, was she not?”

He made a noncommittal sound. “Did you find anything out from Caden?”

Thor finally made his way to Loki’s bed and crashed across the bottom of it. “Feel like I’m twelve years old again,” he muttered, pushing off the floor with his boots until he was apparently comfortable. “And no, not really. He’s cold and cagey, that one.”

Loki moved his head side to side, stretching. The smell of mead wafted up from his brother. “Have you been drinking this entire time?”

“I thought I’d get him loose lipped, but he can hold his drink.”

“He’s not a Midgardian.” Loki explained what had transpired out in the hall before Thor arrived. His brother rolled from his back to his side and propped his head up on his hand.

“ _Nyx_ told him to back off?”

He hadn’t quite wrapped his head around it, either. “She’s a puzzle. The only thing I can say for sure about her is that she’s unpredictable.”

Thor gave him a knowing look. “Loki has a crush.”

His foot connected with Thor’s shin but unfortunately did little damage because he didn’t have his boots on. “Must you behave like an infant?”

#

He was late to breakfast. Thor had prattled on and on until the wee hours of the morning, trying to figure out where Caden and Nyx were from. Loki finally bespelled him just to shut him up, but that had resulted in snoring from the foot of his bed. He’d just managed to drift off when it was time to get up if he wanted to make the morning meal. 

It wasn’t the food he cared about. What he wanted was to see Nyx in one piece. Despite the scene in the hall the night before and the fact that Caden had walked away, he’d worried over her all night. 

She wasn’t at breakfast, though. Caden was, sitting with Sif of all people. He watched Loki make his way around the table with an amused smirk that wasn’t going to go unpunished. The fool didn’t know what he was in for if he thought to provoke him.

“Loki, dear?”

He stopped and looked down. “Yes, Mother?”

She smiled serenely. “Your father and I would like a word after breakfast.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

Once seated he ate food that held no taste. He took some comfort from the fact that Caden’s lost all flavor as well. He saw to it.

Afterwards he followed his parents to an adjacent room and wandered about while they settled in. Finally his father spoke. “Your mother has brought your concerns to me, Loki.”

He said nothing, only nodded. If the hide-piercing look his mother was giving him was any indication, there was a lot to be said yet.

Odin sat back on a heavily cushioned chaise and regarded Loki steadily from his good eye. Frigga was situated comfortably to his right, and truthfully, it was her stare that was beginning to unnerve him. “We noticed you and Thor separated our guests at dinner last night,” she finally said.

“Your idea?” Odin guessed.

He gave no outward reaction other than a slight smile. And he lied, of course. “No. I simply stepped in when the opportunity presented itself.”

His father worried a lock of Frigga’s hair with the fingers of his right hand. She patted his leg. “Nyx is an attractive young woman, Loki, but do not grow attached to her. She will be leaving at some point regardless of what you find.”

He pounced. “What I find?”

Odin nodded. “You made your case to your mother well. If you present me with proof that Nyx is being forced...intimately, I will act.”

A tide of anger rose within him, and he locked it down as best he could. “So it’s okay if he’s beating her without mercy as long as he doesn’t rape her?”

Frigga held up a hand and he took a step back even though he wanted to force his father to say the words. Odin sighed and his normally serious expression slipped into one of frustration for a moment. “No, Loki, it’s not okay if he’s _beating her_ ,” he growled. “Now I’ve given you a job. Go do it.”

His mouth fell open for a second before he caught himself and snapped it shut. He’d been so wrapped up in the situation that he hadn’t realized his father had just given him a task. An actual job to do, as he’d put it himself. And it had nothing to do with supporting Thor. He looked to his mother. She smiled and gave a small nod. “I...I...yes, Father.”

#

“This will be a disaster,” Odin stated.

Frigga stroked his arm soothingly. “Really, dear? You don’t think Loki can find out if Nyx is being mistreated?”

“I think Loki is already too involved. You saw him with her last night, impressing her with his tricks.”

Frigga lowered her head to his shoulder. “She smiled. It was the first time since she’s been here that I can recall.”

His look spoke volumes. “Frigga, you know she’ll have to leave. Even if she were a suitable match for Loki, and she’s _not_ , she’ll have to leave.”

She picked her head up and withdrew her arm from his. “What if the girl simply isn’t suited to what awaits her? What if Caden is wrong?”

Odin stood and looked down at her, his expression grave. “We cannot interfere in this. We cannot spare Nyx no matter how ill suited she may be.” Frigga started to respond and Odin held up a hand, cutting her off. “Do you think it escapes me? Any of it? Do you think me unfeeling? There is nothing we can do! There is a prophecy, Frigga, and Nyx is a part of it.”

She stood, fists clenched at her side, but her tone remained even. “You have Caden’s word for all of it, and he could be wrong or lying. What if he has some other purpose altogether?”


	5. Sleeping With Daisies

CHAPTER 5

Caden had a new game. He’d left her to her own devices since the scene in the hallway. There was no barking her awake that morning, ridicule as she walked with him to breakfast. There was no breakfast, for that matter. She’d slept right through it. 

She bathed and dressed in peace and when he still hadn’t come for her, she crawled back on top of the bed and picked up the white daisy, now wilted, that she’d taken from the bunch Loki gave her. 

Loki. Now there was a mystery. He’d been indifferent to her since her arrival, and then out of nowhere…there he was. A prince, escorting her to dinner. She barely knew which utensils to use and had been too nervous to even eat. She’d managed a few bites, but it had all gone down like glue.

Her stomach let out a protest and she cursed herself for thinking about food. She was going to have to wait for lunch, and if she was right about Caden’s change in tactics he wouldn’t be there. If she wanted to eat she would have to go it alone. It was typical of him actually, changing things up without warning. He was becoming a master at making her miserable.

She thought again of trying to break free. If what was said of the gatekeeper Heimdall was true--that he could see all--it would be pointless, though. Odin would order her captured and returned. Her only real hope of escape was a jump from the bridge, and it was unlikely she’d survive it.

Which was why Caden had chosen the nine realms. She couldn’t run or hide, and only he knew how to safely travel in and out. Not that the prospects outside were great. Fucking awful came to mind as a descriptive phrase, but at least she’d be free of him and his plans.

She woke to a soft sound and realized she must have drifted off to sleep again. This was the most rest she’d had in weeks; sleep deprivation was a favorite too. He would keep her up sometimes, wake her too early others, or just wake her over and over again. Idiot. She’d grown up with that shit at school and while it was uncomfortable, it wasn’t going to break her. It wasn’t even going to come close.

She listened and heard it again, coming from the outside door she thought. She slipped from the bed and walked silently through the bedroom and into the parlor, where she found Loki standing just inside. She froze. “How did you get in?”

He waved a hand as though it were nothing. “One of my abilities. I apologize for my rudeness, but I was concerned when you weren’t at breakfast. Are you well?” he asked politely. 

It took her a few seconds to respond. She got caught up in him too easily...the leather, the armor, the glossy hair and lean, long body. _Shit. Say something, you idiot!_ “I am, thank you. Caden seems to have-.” She stopped, unsure of what to say. She’d been about to blurt out that he’d changed the rules again, but Loki wouldn’t understand and she had a feeling he wouldn’t let it go, either. They were supposed to be from Midgard. Humans and mortals.

What a joke.

“Um, he just seems to be ignoring me or something,” she said.

Loki leaned back against the door and she tried not to give him the once over. She really did, but Gods, the prince was attractive. “He’s on the outer rim with my brother, the Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three. I checked.”

She chanced a step forward, drawn to him like he was a flame in the dark. “What are they doing out there?”

He lifted one shoulder and dropped it, expression indifferent. “Training maneuvers of some kind. I doubt they’ll be back until dinner.”

 _Do NOT think of food._ She did, though, of course, and had to clear her throat to cover the sound of her stomach growling. “You don’t train too?”

Another shrug, and did he just give her the up and down too? She felt her cheeks heat and cursed her pale skin. He’d no doubt see the blush.

“I go when I feel like it or when Father demands it. I can hold my own on a battlefield. I prefer honing other skills most of the time.”

“Your tricks?”

He smiled and she had her answer. “Do you have plans for the day, Nyx?”

She shook her head. “Um, no. I thought maybe I’d look for the library. Your mother invited me once. I mean, she said it was okay if I wanted to go and, uh, read books.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Do you like books?”

“Yes.” There, a one word answer. She could handle those. 

Loki pushed himself off the door and closed the distance between them in two long strides. He had to stand a foot taller than her, she thought. “Would you spend the day with me? I’ll show you the library. And anything else you’d like.”

Now she knew her face was on fire because the first thing that came to mind was, well…

But back to the present, he was waiting on an answer. She had to wonder what was really going on. He wasn’t genuinely interested in her, was he? “I don’t have a family, you know,” she blurted.

His lips turned down slightly and he blinked. “Ah, what? I don’t understand. I mean, I do, but what does one have to do with the other?”

The fire of her embarrassment burned out of control. She was making an ass of herself, but she’d come this far. Might as well be clear. “I’m…” What was the word? “I’m not royal or anything. I’m…”

She saw the moment he caught on. “You’re a commoner, is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes. That’s the word!”

Loki laughed softly. “Then how do you read?”

It was her turn to be confused. “I’m not illiterate. I’m just...why would you want to spend time with me?”

Her forward approach threw him. He recovered quickly, though. “Here you are not common, Nyx, and I suspect you sell yourself short. If you do not wish my company, however, I will take my leave and wish you a good day.”

And she’d offended him. Awesome. “I didn’t mean it like that, Prince Loki-.”

“Just Loki. I told you that.”

“Right. Sorry. Loki. I would like nothing better than to spend the day with you. I just thought you should know what you’re getting.”

“A commoner?”

“Yes.” She nodded in a matter of fact way and it seemed to irritate him, but he smoothed his features and offered his arm, so she took it.


	6. Princes and Palaces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Nyx spend a day together.

CHAPTER 6

Loki’s interest in where Nyx was from only grew. He’d watched her closely in the library and caught her eyes straying to the huge star maps that covered the walls over and over again. She claimed to only think them pretty when he questioned her, and he got what he knew was a fabricated backstory when he asked about her life on Midgard. She even pointed the area she was supposedly from out on a realm map.

Whomever had come up with the story was sloppy in spite of the details she was able to list. A modern Midgardian wouldn’t call themselves a commoner. She seemed to think herself truly beneath him, though, and that pointed to a class system. Most realms had them in one form or another which made that bit of information less helpful, but he filed it away nonetheless. 

He’d also ruled out the places that didn’t educate the lower classes. It would have been interesting to see the books she might of chosen if he hadn’t been with her. She selected something on Asgard’s history and a novel, but as with the star maps, she had a wandering eye for mathematics.

They stopped at her rooms to leave the books off and he followed her in without invitation. She didn’t seem to think it odd or inappropriate. Caden wasn’t there and Loki wanted to snoop, so he casually asked if she wouldn’t like to change into something lighter so they could walk in the gardens after lunch. 

“I don’t think I have anything lighter. My, um, Midgardian things are inappropriate so your mother sent clothes….”

He pretended to think though he knew exactly what he wanted. He tapped a finger against his lips, lowered his hand and then smiled. “I don’t suppose you would let me see what she sent? Asgardian clothing is often layered, and you probably have at least one dress you could wear without all the decorations and such.”

She led him into her bedchamber after the shortest pause. “Will I be forced to marry you if your guardian catches me in here?”

Nyx laughed. “No, Midgard isn’t that prudish.”

“I see.”

She led him over to the closet. His mother had provided her with quite a wardrobe and he sifted through dresses until he found one that suited his purposes. “Here,” he said. He removed the outer tunic and decorative wrap leaving just a base layer that would give her fits when she attempted to do the fastenings herself.

“Really? It’s okay without all that?” She pointed to the pieces he’d removed.

Loki hung them back in the closet, fussing a bit so he could try and see the clothes shoved off to one side. They had to be the things she’d arrived with. “Yes. You wouldn’t want to go to dinner or anything formal, but for lunch and a walk in the garden it’s fine.”

“Okay. I’ll go change then. Thank you.” She smiled.

He dampened the sound in the room the second she left and shoved the dresses over so he could see her other things. There were shirts and pants mostly, some of the pants leather and not unlike the ones Sif wore, but the shirts were like underthings. He looked for something that went over them but found no tunics or anything of the sort. A quick glance down revealed a pair of heavy black leather boots in a size tiny enough for Nyx. 

He leaned in and took a sniff. Leather and wood smoke, though it was faint. He put everything back as it was and turned, catching sight of her bed and the slightly rumpled bed covers. One of the daisies he’d given her--the white one, to be exact--was lying there as though she’d been holding it when she fell asleep. He didn’t remember her taking the flower with her after dinner though she obviously had.

He crossed the room quickly and looked in the nightstand. There was a silver chain with some kind of charm on it and a leather bound volume. He had limited time so he went for the book and flipped it open. The pages were filled with handwritten notes and drawings, and to his dismay, he couldn’t read it. He did a quick spell to translate and nothing happened.

Nyx made an exasperated sound from the bath and dressing area. He quickly replaced the book after running his fingers along the page he was on. The paper was smooth but not heavy and felt cheap compared to what he was used to.

“Loki?” Nyx called out.

He moved further away and dropped the dampening spell. “Yes? I’m here.”

She peeked out from behind the privacy wall. “I, um, I can’t get the fastenings.”

He nodded. “Of course. My apologies. I’ll run and fetch someone to help you.” He turned to leave.

“Oh, um, okay,” she said faintly and he turned, hearing something in her voice.

“Is there something else?” he asked politely.

She took a small step forward, coming partially out from behind the wall. The dress he’d chosen was simple with clean lines, and it outlined her body in a way that made him wonder if leaving the other layers off was poor planning. She would surely catch the eyes of many in something so becoming. “I thought maybe you could finish them. I mean, unless you...that wouldn’t be appropriate, though, would it?” she said, stumbling over the words. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to this.”

Her flailing about was adorable actually, but he tried not to look amused or enchanted, which he was. “Not used to…?”

She retreated almost out of sight. “Princes and palaces and help with dresses and baths the size of swimming pools.”

“I’m coming in,” he said softly, hoping to calm her, but she looked mortified when he rounded the corner. “I’m happy to help you with your dress on one condition.”

She stared straight ahead, which put her at eye level with the middle of his chest. He used two fingers to gently tilt her chin up. “Don’t ask my brother if I’m not around.”

Her grin was quick and she turned, giving him her back. She moved her hair to the side and stopped his heart. She had no corset or slip on and the dress was mostly unlaced. It covered her to a couple of inches above her waist and left her back in naked glory. He froze, thoughts racing through his mind. Should he tell her she was underdressed? What if his fingers touched her skin? What would it feel like if he slid his hands in and….

“Loki?”

“Ah...Nyx?”

She looked over her shoulder. “What?”

He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “You...don’t you need a... well a-.”

“Damn,” she muttered, startling him. “Really? It’s kind of built in and the top is tight so I thought it would be okay.” She turned again and started to walk out to the bedchamber. He caught her just as she would have brushed past him and looked at the front of her dress. 

“I think it’ll be okay.” He sounded like he was being strangled and she tilted her head to one side, searching his face.

“I’ve acted improperly, haven’t I?” A flush crept up her neck. “Maybe I should put the other dress back on-.”

He shook his head, not trusting his voice, and turned her back around. He took the laces and began working them, pulling tighter than was probably comfortable because he didn’t want it to be obvious she wore no corset. When he was finished he turned her again and looked. It was completely obvious to him. 

“Loki?”

He forced himself to look elsewhere. If he let himself stare at her breasts for one more minute he was going to do something stupid. “You have to wear a wrap. Something. I’ll go look in the closet.” He spun on his heel and stalked back out into her room. Nyx remained quiet and he was grateful she didn’t tease him. “Here.” He turned with a delicate silk wrap and when she didn’t reach for it, he draped it over her and arranged it himself. He conjured a pin he had and secured it in the center. Stepping back, he looked her over and swallowed convulsively. Nyx looked down at herself and then back up at him. She made no comment and won a little bit more of his affection.

He’d unintentionally dressed her in a golden gown with a dark green wrap and his pin that was a small representation of his helmet. It was precisely the kind of outfit his princess would wear if he married.

And it wasn’t going to go unnoticed.

#

There was only a small crowd for lunch fortunately. His parents did not attend, and neither did Thor, his friends, or Caden. He escorted Nyx to his place at a smaller table and held her chair, all the while staring down anyone that looked their way.

Once she was seated, he took his place next to her and wasted no time with the wine; it was uncorked and on the table already. Lunch was more informal and they usually poured for themselves. He filled her chalice first and then his own. She took a sip and smiled, but she appeared anxious again and he wondered why. They were drawing a few stares, but so far it wasn’t as bad as he’d anticipated. “Are you all right?”

She set her wine aside. “I’m afraid it’ll go right to my head. I slept through breakfast.”

“Mmmm. You didn’t eat much at dinner last night, either.” He pulled a plate with fruit and cheese on it closer and selected a few items for her and then for himself as an afterthought. He wasn’t overly hungry but didn’t want her to be shy.

The wine did go a bit to her head. He saw to it that she was adequately fed, though. Once they were done he held her chair out for her and wrapped an arm around her waist when she stood. “Would you still like to walk in the gardens? If you need to lie down for a bit, I’ll understand.”

“I’d like to walk. Are you always this nice?” she said, and then clapped a hand over her mouth and laughed softly. “I’m sorry. I am a little drunk.”

He tried not to smile. “No, I’m a menace, actually. You know of Lady Sif?”

She nodded. “Prince Thor’s friend. The one that’s always watching him.”

He inclined his head in agreement. “How very observant of you. That’s the one.” He paused, and then leaned down to her ear. “Her hair was once fair. As golden as Thor’s, in fact.”

They came to the front of the palace and he led her outside and down the steps. She was light on her feet in spite of being intoxicated. He kept his arm about her waist anyway and pulled her in just a little closer when two guards slowed their march and looked their fill. He thought about tripping the fools, but Nyx spoke and he turned his full attention back to her. “So what happened?”

“To Lady Sif’s hair?”

She nodded, and he started them down the main path in the east garden. He’d taken her for a quick walk on the other side of the palace the night before. Besides, the east garden had lots of little hidey holes if they wanted privacy. “When we were younger, I was jealous that she liked Thor better and one night I cut her hair off while she slept.”

“And it grew back the wrong color?” Her eyes were wide and he had a feeling she was sharing the joke rather than laughing at him. It was her one constant so far, that she never looked down on him, and it was a hard charm to resist.

“Well, no. She wailed and carried on to such a degree that I had to do something before I got into all sorts of trouble, so I made a deal with some dwarves. They made new hair for her.”

“But in the wrong color?”

He steered her off the main path and through to a small grove where cotton blew off the trees and carried on the wind like pixie dust. “No. I was a bad boy and stole the hair without paying for it. It hadn’t yet been treated with the potion that would make it blonde.”

“Is she still mad?” Nyx guessed.

Loki grinned and picked a bit of fluffy cotton from her shoulder. “I think so, yes.”

Nyx giggled, caught herself and stopped, and then laughed outright. “I shouldn’t laugh, I know.”

He pulled her through a stand of trees, down a short path, and through an opening in a tall bunch of bushes. There was a small clearing lined with wildflowers and a huge weeping willow off to one side. “This is one of my favorite places.”

“It’s beautiful.”

He let his arm fall from her waist and took her hand instead. “Sit with me?”

She nodded and he led her over to the tree and under the hanging branches where it was shaded. He removed his coat, spelled it into a blanket, and laid it out on the ground. She followed him down onto it and sat close even though he gave her room to keep her distance if she wanted to. “It comes easily to you, doesn’t it? Your magic, I mean?”

He shrugged, not looking forward to her finding out at some point that he wasn’t exactly respected for it. When he didn’t say anything she leaned in closer still and brushed some cotton from his hair. He closed his eyes briefly, enjoying the way it felt. “It’s impressive, Loki.”

He blinked and she was so close that he wouldn’t have to stretch far to kiss her. She might have even wanted him to, but when he didn’t move in after a second, she pulled back and looked away. “I can barely see anything through the branches. Can anyone see us?”

He leaned back on his elbows and stared out. They were well protected in their little nest. “I doubt it. I think I’m the only one that comes here anyway.”

“If I lived on Asgard, I would spend at least half my time hiding out here.”

He was reminded of why he was spending time with her. Or why he was supposed to be. “Do you need a place to hide, Nyx?” he asked softly.

Her lips thinned for the briefest moment and then her features smoothed out, the expression erased. “Maybe.”


	7. Bruises and the Bifrost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor isn't the only one making late night visits.

CHAPTER 7

Thor made another midnight appearance in his chambers. Loki was still up reading; he lit several candles out in the sitting area to keep Thor from crashing into things. “In here, Brother.”

“Ah.” Thor turned into the doorway and waited for his eyes to adjust. Loki sighed and lit some more candles. It was an easy spell to cast.

“There you go, you blind mouse.”

Thor grunted and ambled over to the bed, sitting down heavily. “By the gods, I’m weary.”

Loki didn’t bother to offer sympathy. “What did you learn today?” 

Thor flopped back on the bed and groaned. “You first.”

“Our parents called me in after breakfast and Father told me to find out if Caden is abusing Nyx in a sexual manner. He cares more about that than any other form of abuse, though he claims not to. Mother was quite annoyed with him, I think.” 

Thor grunted again.

“Anyway, I spent most of the day with her. The highlights? She informed me she’s not royal. I’m quite certain she’s highly educated, though. We went to the library and she was especially interested in the star maps and math books. She has some odd clothing in her closet that smells faintly of wood smoke. There was a handwritten book in her nightstand that I couldn’t decipher. I think it’s most likely a journal she keeps. She knows nothing about dressing properly in the Asgardian way. She freely admits being afraid of Caden—I could have pushed but feared I might give myself away. I think she’s attracted to me,” he said, satisfied that he’d outlined the important points, at least.

Thor sat up and gave him a slack jawed stare. “You...how did you get into her closet?”

He waved a hand as though it was nothing, but he was enjoying the look on his brother’s face. Immensely. “I suggested less heavy clothing for a walk in the garden. She claimed not to have any, so I offered to look for her.”

“And she let you into her bedchamber?”

“Yes.”

Thor shook his head like a wet dog and Loki hid his grin.

“Why do you think she’s attracted to you?”

“She’s not exactly being subtle. She looked me over quite thoroughly once or twice and practically sat in my lap when we took a rest in the gardens.” If his tone was smug, so what.

Thor considered his words before he spoke and when he did, he was slow and concise. For Thor, anyway. “Be of care, Brother, that you don’t lead her on.”

Loki stretched his legs out fully and set his book aside. He considered telling his brother the truth: that he liked Nyx very much, but he wanted answers first. She could be lying. She could be leading _him_ on. She could have an agenda all her own. Why Loki? Why not Thor? It was always Thor.

But he said none of that, instead just nodding. “And what of your day?”

“Caden went with us to the outer rim to settle a land dispute. There was no fighting, but he rides and carries himself like a warrior. It was tricky trying to get any kind of information out of him. He’s slippery and redirects the conversation with questions about Asgard.” He paused. “I want to see him in action. I truly believe he’s a fighter of some skill.”

“More importantly _what_ is he and where are they really from?” Loki murmured.

Thor heaved himself up. “I would stay and ponder it, but I am exhausted. I bid you a good night.”

Loki waited until Thor was gone to extinguish the candles. He shifted position in the chair and thought over what information they had gathered so far. His day may have seemed productive to his brother, but he felt no closer to an answer. If anything, the mystery deepened.

He stood and went to the window. It was too early yet for what he had planned. A wave of his hand activated the wind chimes he kept for such occasions and after some consideration he settled on two hours from the present. That done, he went to his bed and kicked off his boots.

The chimes woke him from his dream in precisely two hours, and he felt Nyx slip from his arms a second before he was fully conscious. He tried to pull her back even as his eyes opened. He kept still for a minute, painfully aware of how hard he was, and waited for his cock to subside. It didn’t. _Must have been an enticing dream._

He’d gone too long without. He rarely bedded anyone in the palace, preferring instead to privately visit a brothel on the other side of Asgard. Less likelihood of running into his brother or Fandral, or getting any gossip started that way. 

An image of Nyx and her naked back came to mind, and Loki remembered the feel of her skin under his fingertips as he’d laced her dress. He closed his eyes and gave in to the fantasy because his damn cock wasn’t going to cooperate any other way. Irritated beyond reason, he unfastened his pants and fisted it.

He imagined the feel of her breasts, much heavier than those of most Asgardians, enough to fill his hands even, and then he lifted the hem of her dress. His hand moved between her thighs, petting her, slipping a finger inside, and that was as far as he got. It had taken less than a dozen strokes.

Loki cleaned up and waited another few minutes before he tucked himself back into his pants. They were tight and he was still sensitive. He managed, though, and sat up to put his boots on. The minute he was done he scattered himself and reappeared around the corner from Nyx’s room. There was no one about, which he’d expected at that time of night, but he approached cautiously just the same. He teleported again and went to her door that time, listening. 

There was no noise from within. He took a deep breath and moved to her bath chambers. It was completely dark, and he listened closely. He heard a slight movement from her bed and a small sigh before all was silent again. Had she somehow sensed him?

It didn’t matter. She was sleeping now. He used a sound dampening spell so he could walk without making noise and moved to the end of the privacy wall that separated the bath and vanity area from her bedchamber. 

Nyx was easily made out in the large bed. She was on her side and facing away from him, and it took him about two seconds to spot the massive bruise on her upper arm. Part of him wanted to march over, strip the covers and her gown from her, and check every inch of her skin. 

He couldn’t do that, though, so he stood still and considered his options. Time passed without notice until he became aware of something moving in the dark, off to the left and just outside of his peripheral vision. He put himself behind the privacy wall again and melted into the dark. 

It was Caden. He walked into Nyx’s bedchamber as though he had the right and stood over her bed. He was enormous compared to her petite, curled up form. A minute or two passed before he reached out and gave her shoulder a shove. “Wake up, Your Highness.”

She rolled to her back and kept the covers pinned over her chest with one hand. She didn’t say anything. Caden kicked the mattress and caused it to jump. “Comfortable, Nyx? I bet this is the nicest bed you’ve ever slept in.”

“I hate you.”

Caden threw his head back and laughed at her. “You’re mouthy tonight. You think one of the princes will save you? Which one are you betting on? Thor’s playing it cool, but I think he’s a little put out with baby brother walking you around.”

Loki concentrated on breathing in and out. He’d palmed his dagger without even thinking about it. 

“What? Nothing to say? Maybe you should fuck one of them. Or both. That would make things interesting, don’t you think?”

He was going to see this man dead. And if Nyx so much as smiled at Thor….

She rolled onto her side again and faced away from Caden. He stood there another minute or so, tapping his foot on the mattress. Then he turned and left without another word. Loki watched as he crossed the parlor and entered the room to the right. It connected to another bedchamber if memory served.

Her breathing was inaudible from where he stood, but he heard a catch in it then and realized she was crying. He started to leave--he needed to think, and he didn’t want to look around when Caden was awake anyway--when Nyx threw the covers off and stood. He’d barely taken in the knee length, sleeveless nightdress she wore when she went to the closet and reached in. He couldn’t tear his eyes away when she shimmied into a pair of leather pants. He noted with dismay another set of bruises up the back of one leg, but there was no time to dwell on it.

Nyx fled to the hallway, leaving him frozen in place. He couldn’t follow immediately and waited for Caden to go after her. Surely he’d heard her departure. 

A minute passed. Two. Loki was counting off the seconds. It didn’t appear Caden was going to react. He relocated out and onto one of the balconies, hoping to find her through the large open windows in the hall. There was no sign of her, though, and he changed locations again. She couldn’t have gotten far.

He searched up and down, moving at a frantic pace, and finally located her near the main entrance to the palace. She was about to go outside where she was sure to run into one or more guards. He considered whether to intercept her or let her go, but neither option held much appeal and he cursed under his breath. If he caught her, was she going to realize he’d been watching?

If he let her go, the damned guards were going to see her in a flimsy nightdress and pants. 

She stopped just outside the heavy doors and veered right. Anticipating her next move, he solved the problem of not wanting to look like he’d been following and took up a position part of the way down the bridge.

It was the right decision. She exploded out of one of the side doors and was halfway to him before she saw him standing there, hopefully looking as though she’d taken him by surprise. “ _Nyx?_ What are you doing out here?” 

She froze where she was and stared at him, clearly stunned, and Loki closed the distance between them quickly. There were still tears on her cheeks and he took her face in his hands, wiping them away with his thumbs. “Nyx? Why are you crying? What’s happened?”

She shook her head, apparently too overwhelmed to answer, and tried to back away. He didn’t let her, instead dropping his hands from her face to her arms where he pretended to discover the bruises. “He’s hurt you, hasn’t he?” He let rage into his voice, but it backfired on him; Nyx flinched as though he’d slapped her. He dropped his hands and took a small step back, not wanting to cause her further distress, but then she truly frightened him. Her head turned to the side and she fixated on the edge of the bridge.

Loki struck with the speed and efficiency of a snake. He had Nyx off her feet and off the bridge in a matter of seconds. She didn’t even fight him. If anything, she sank into him and just gave herself over to his care.

He didn’t slow down until he’d reached the east garden. They’d passed three guards, and all had taken one look at him and turned the other way. He sat on the first bench he came to and held her on his lap. “Let me help,” he said after a minute.

She didn’t look at him. Her head was down and her hair was a curtain around her face. He moved to brush it back and she pulled away. Stung, he dropped his hand. “You can’t.” She slid off his lap and stood with her back to him. She looked very small dressed as she was and without shoes.

Loki sat back and spread his knees, trying for casual. He draped one arm over the back of the bench. “At least tell me what happened.” He put a note of command in his voice and it was enough to make her turn around. Backlit by the moons, her gown was made almost completely see through. Her breasts were beautiful. He swallowed as casually as he could and forced his eyes back up. She didn’t appear to have noticed him staring. In fact, he wasn’t sure she saw him at all. Her gaze was eerily unfocused. “Nyx,” he repeated. “Tell me what’s upset you.”

She turned around again and wrapped her arms around herself. He wondered if she was cold. “He’s never going to let me go.”

“Caden.”

“Yes.”

He got up and went to stand behind her. When she didn’t move away, he placed his hands on her arms and stepped in closer so that her back pressed against his chest. She held still instead of relaxing into him and he dropped a hand to her hip and squeezed. “Let me hold you.”

She turned into him and Loki wound his arms around her. He stroked her hair and discovered it was as soft as it looked. Armor would have been helpful, but he’d left it off and felt the full weight of her breasts against his torso. He shifted his hips to the side to keep her from feeling him. Her hands clutched at his shirt, and after a moment--and tentatively, he thought--wrapped around his waist. He hugged her back. “Jumping off the bridge is not an acceptable solution.”

“I’m losing hope.”

Now they were getting somewhere. “In what way?”

She lifted her head and looked up at him. “I...it’s complicated.”

“You don’t want to tell me?”

“I’m not supposed to talk about it.”

He urged her head back down and she accepted his touch easily, resting her cheek against his chest. He rubbed her back and impulsively leaned down to brush a kiss over the top of her head. “Can’t you tell me something? Anything?” he urged, knowing he was exploiting a moment of weakness. 

“Caden wants something from me. I thought if I could just hang on that he would eventually give up.”

“Maybe he will.”

“I don’t think so.”

His hand slipped under her gown as if it had a mind of its own. He touched the bare skin of her back, just above the waistband of her pants, and they both jumped. “Loki-.”

“Shhh.” He tilted her face up and lowered his head. When he kissed her, his lips barely brushed over hers at first, but then she opened her mouth and reason fled. He forgot all the reasons he shouldn’t be doing it. He forgot his father’s words, his own apprehensions, Thor’s warning. All he could feel was that sweet mouth under his, her tender lips, and the slide of her tongue against his. He bent down enough to hook an arm under her bottom and lift her to compensate for the height difference. Nyx fisted handfuls of his shirt and wrapped her legs around him. He groaned and deepened the kiss, reaching up to palm one perfect, heavy breast. 

It wasn’t enough. Her gown was in the way and he tried to pull it off and failed, getting them both tangled. Thinking he should put her down somewhere, he started walking randomly but kept tripping like an idiot. Nyx broke the kiss and got his elbow free. She grabbed the hem of the gown, pulled it over her head, and dropped it on the ground. Impatient, he hitched her up and closed his mouth around one stiff nipple. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and she sucked in a breath. “Loki!”

He found a spot that felt relatively soft underfoot and dropped to his knees. Reluctant as he was to pull his mouth away, he did long enough to lay her down on her back. Nyx let him have a second to look at her and then she was pulling him down. His hips found their home between her legs and they both hissed when his cock pushed against her. He ground into her, aggravated by the leather that covered them both, and went back to her breasts, sucking the neglected nipple and palming them at the same time. 

Nyx pulled his shirt up and explored his back, digging her short nails in and squeezing his hips with her thighs. She whined low in her throat and he tried to memorize the sound so he would never forget it. 

He had the laces on her pants half open when she froze. “Someone’s coming,” she panted.

He listened but heard nothing. “Are you certain?” he asked, and his voice sounded like he’d been running for hours.

“They’re on the main path-.”

He heard it then and reached one hand out. Her gown came to him and he pulled her into a sitting position and fitted it over her head. He’d spell clothes on her if he had to, but he’d rather get them out of there before someone walked right up on them. 

Nyx climbed to her feet at the same time he did. She didn’t make a sound when he picked her up and hurried through the trees and pleasure washed through him even though he knew it was ridiculous. She didn’t have shoes; it made perfect sense for him to carry her. It was the lack of suspicion that made him feel noble.

Loki knew the paths through the garden better than anyone and he put a considerable amount of distance between them and their unwanted visitor. He stopped when they reached the gazebo in the north corner and sat Nyx down on top of the small table at its center. “Where were we?” He grinned.

“Isn’t it going to be light out soon?” 

She at least sounded disappointed. And she was right. He kissed her again, pleased that her arms came up around his neck as though it was the most natural thing in all the realms. Her eyes opened slowly when he broke it off. “Yes, it will be light soon.”

She had yet to unwind her arms from his neck. Loki let his hands skate up and down her sides. “We could go somewhere today. To be alone.”

“Caden will try to use you if you get involved with me. I don’t know what his end game is, just that there is one. He asked me earlier if I thought you or Thor would save me.”

He stepped back and her arms fell from his neck. “Is that what this is?” he asked quietly. He hadn’t expected her to be so direct, and he wasn’t going to squander the opportunity to learn something new. He watched her face closely for signs of deceit, but if she was lying, she was masterful. All he saw was a flash of annoyance.

“No. I think it’s only fair to warn you. I’ll understand if you want to walk away.”

“We could go somewhere today. To be alone,” he repeated.

Her smile was just a little bit sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent half the day editing this chapter and probably just made it worse. Loki's getting possessive fast and I tried to scale it back some, but I didn't want to take it out altogether, either. Hopefully it'll make more sense later on....


	8. Pretty Little Things

CHAPTER 8

Loki returned to breakfast after being called away by his parents. The sight of Thor in his chair was irritating, but he graciously took the seat on the other side of Nyx. “Brother,” he said by way of greeting.

“Good morning.” Thor grinned. “I was just keeping our guest company while you were having a word with our parents. I trust everything is all right?”

“Mmmm. There was an unfortunate incident last night, I’m afraid.”

“Oh?”

Nyx appeared anxious and he reached for her hand under the table and took it in his. “Caden had to be moved to the healing room. He was stung by a scorpion sometime during the night and awoke quite ill and in a lot of pain. Our healers will do everything they can for him, of course.”

“That’s terrible, Loki. I can’t remember the last time we had a scorpion problem in the palace.” 

He wasn’t fooling Thor for a second and he definitely hadn’t fooled his parents. “Tragic, isn’t it? I’m sure he’ll be fine in a few days.”

Thor leaned in far too close to Nyx for his own good. “I am at your service, my lady. If you should need anything while your guardian is convalescing, I would be honored-.”

He cut his brother off. “I’ve already volunteered to look after Nyx and Mother and Father agreed.” His smile, he knew, was all teeth.

Thor gave it right back to him. “There’s a feast tomorrow night. Surely you’ll save me one dance?” he asked Nyx.

She automatically looked to him and then back to Thor. “I...sure. I mean, if it’s okay with Loki.”

Thor choked on his juice and Nyx winked behind his back. Loki wanted to kiss her.

“I look forward to it,” Thor wheezed. “If you’ll excuse me-.” He stood up. “I seem to be delaying our task for the day.”

The Warriors Three and Lady Sif were standing about the doorway looking impatient. Loki hadn’t even noticed them. Thor made his way over and they all left a moment later. The dining hall was instantly quieter. He glanced down at Nyx’s plate. She hadn’t eaten much, either. He had no appetite whatsoever. All he could think about was getting her out of the palace. “Not hungry?” he asked.

“No.” She paused. “The scorpion...did you do that?”

“He hurts you and I hurt him. Simple.”

“Loki-.”

“You can fuss later, though why you’d want to is beyond me. Are you ready to leave?”

“I...okay, yes.”

He stood and held her chair for her. He didn’t bother with the formality of offering his arm, preferring to lead with a hand on the small of her back. It was more intimate. 

“Where are we going?” she asked once they were outside. 

“To get my horse, and then for a ride.”

#

“Up you go.” Loki lifted Nyx onto his horse and then climbed on behind her. He pulled her into the space between his legs and held her there firmly.

“I’m not dressed for riding.”

He arranged her dress so she was adequately covered. “If we come upon anyone, I’ll change your dress. It’s doubtful-.”

“You’ll change my dress? How?” She twisted around to look at him. He demonstrated, dressing her as the Lady Sif momentarily. Nyx appeared quite shocked, but not so shocked that she didn’t tap on the armor and look herself over. She was still at it when he rode out of the stable.

“Have you seen enough?” He laughed. “The armor is unpleasant.”

“Put something else on me!”

He chose another dress, something ridiculously fancy, and she gaped at the beadwork until he picked up the pace and startled her into putting her hands back down. “Fear not. I won’t let you fall,” he said, head bent to her ear. She relaxed against him and he took the quickest route through the forest to the beach. He slowed then, looking for the trail he wanted, and changed her dress one more time.

“Loki,” she gasped, seeing what he’d done. She was wearing the leather pants and flimsy nightdress from the night before. 

“No one’s about, and we were cruelly interrupted last night.” He bent to her ear again. “I so wanted to take the pants off you.” 

Nyx turned her head and tilted her face up for his kiss, but he gave her only the briefest brushing of lips. They weren’t yet to their destination and he didn’t want to be sidetracked. She turned back around and if he wasn’t mistaken, growled under her breath. He moved the arm encircling her waist and brushed his hand over one of her breasts. “Soon.”

She pushed back against him and sighed. Loki headed for the path, once again securing her about the waist and rode perhaps a bit harder than was polite. Nyx did fine, though. 

He slowed the horse and brought him to a stop a short way from where he was taking her. He dismounted and reached his arms up for her. “It’s a short walk. I thought I’d leave him here.” He removed enough tack for the horse to be comfortable and gave him a pat. Nyx looked around.

“You don’t need to tie him to anything?”

“No. He knows the area and won’t go far. He’ll probably get a drink from the stream and then head straight to the meadow over there.” He pointed, and his horse, ever a fan of meadow grass, ignored the water and went in that direction.

Loki turned back to look at her. He didn’t move or speak, just silently took her in. There was a ray of light coming through the trees and it made her hair shine. He stepped in front of her and brought one hand up, touching the intricate but windblown braid. “May I?”

“Yes.”

He slowly pulled it out, freeing her hair so that it fell in rich waves to the middle of her back. When he was done he reached for her hand and started them off down the trail. After a minute she asked about the noise and he smiled, taking her around the last bend and watching her expression. 

“I knew it had to be water, but I didn’t expect this,” she exclaimed, staring at the small waterfall. There was a clear pool they could swim in if they wanted, and the bank was mossy in some places and sandy in others. There were a few large boulders strewn about and flowers and flowering plants grew everywhere. Nyx walked faster as they neared the end of the trail and pulled ahead of him. He held her hand tightly, though, and was amused when she simply dragged him along behind her. He’d hoped she would like the place he chose for her.

When the trail ended she stopped on the thick grass at the outer edge of the clearing and turned to him. “I’ve never seen anything this pretty.”

He reached for her, putting his hands on her hips and pulling her closer. “Me either,” he said, his words spoken into her hair. She tilted her head back, and he lifted her off her feet and kissed her. Her hands clutched at him and it became quite clear his armor was frustrating her. Loki pulled back from the kiss and carried her over to a spot to the right of the pool. He put her down and took off his coat, dropping it onto the ground. He caught her eyeing the complicated ties and fastenings on the tunic and smiled. “You could help.”

“You can’t just magic it off?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” He loosened a tie and wondered at his own foolishness; his hands were shaking ever so slightly. He hoped she wouldn’t notice. 

Nyx came closer and reached for the ties on the opposite side. She wasn’t exactly shy and he found himself biting back a question about past lovers. Together they got him free of the garment and he dropped it in the general direction of his coat. He still had a shirt on and Nyx reached under it and ran her hand up his chest. His patience was starting to wear. He’d wanted this to be perfect and he’d wanted to take his time, but all he could think about was stripping her and taking her and hearing his name on her lips.

He took his shirt off, dropped it, and fisted the fabric of her gown. She stood still as he took it off and then reached for him, but Loki wanted a good look first. 

She flushed and he pulled her against him, sucking in a breath at the feel of her breasts flattening against his chest. Her back was silky smooth and he ran his hands over it before taking her by the hips and picking her up again. Her legs went around him and he closed his eyes for a second before he hitched her up, opened his mouth, and caught a nipple. Nyx gasped and arched her back, and he switched, sucking the other until it hardened and her knees dug into his sides. “Loki,” she whined. 

“Yes, darling?”

She made an incoherent sound and he dropped to his knees and put her on her back the same as he had in the garden. Only this time they weren’t going to be interrupted. Her hands sifted through his hair and her eyes were half open when he reached for the laces on her pants, pulling them apart as he worked his way down. He was so caught up in his task that he didn’t realize she had nothing underneath them until he was halfway down. “Do you not wear anything under your clothes at all?” he demanded.

“Not if I can help it.”

He looked up and she was grinning at him like a little devil. He yanked the pants the rest of the way open and started working them down her hips. His first glimpse of her was such a surprise that he stopped for a second and just stared. There wasn’t even the tiniest bit of fluff between her legs. His cock jumped, straining against the tight leather of his own pants and Loki groaned. He got to his knees and all but ripped her pants the rest of the way off, tossing them aside. Hands over her knees, he opened her thighs and dropped back down between her legs.

He placed tiny kisses along her slit and Nyx jerked so violently that he threw an arm over her belly to pin her down. Her fingers found their way into his hair again and tugged. He licked into her, tasting her, getting her wet and ready, and he would have liked to play some more. His pants had to go, though. His cock felt like it was being strangled.

He reached for the fastenings and tried to work her with his mouth at the same time, but it was impossible because she clamped down on him with her legs. He removed the arm he was using to hold her down and she bucked against him. “Nyx,” he panted, pulling her legs apart and forcing her hips back down. He got to his knees and fumbled with his pants. “Oh, curse it,” he growled, and she sat up and tried to help. He caught her wrists and spelled the rest of his clothing off.

She went still and stared. “Ah, Loki-.”

“Shhhh.” He slipped an arm around her waist and lowered his head to kiss her. “I’ll be careful.”

“But-.”

He slid his tongue into her mouth, silencing her, and reached between her legs. The smoothness of her was hard to resist and he took a moment to just pet her. He’d had waxed whores, of course, and the occasional willing plaything, but they were never completely bare. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask about it, but he didn’t want to be fed a lie. Midgardians had hair and Asgardians had hair and most of the races he was familiar with had hair, but it seemed that whatever Nyx was, her kind didn’t. Because it felt natural in some way. Not like it was waxed or shaved.

Her hands were eager, running up and down his back and flank, and she kissed him sweetly, but there was tension too and he knew she was worried about taking him. He _was_ big. He wasn’t used to scaring anyone off with it, though. His partners were usually much more enthusiastic when they saw him for the first time.

He slipped a finger in between her folds and worked her until she started to shake, only then lowering her back onto the ground and pushing her thighs further apart. She jumped at first but he kept her distracted, bringing her closer and closer to the edge. 

She broke the kiss, panting, and he eased off her little button and pushed two fingers inside. “Loki!” she cried. 

“Come for me,” he urged, pressing down with his thumb. She bucked against his hand. He felt the first twitch and removed his fingers and grabbed his cock. He pressed the tip to her opening and was halfway in before he met any real resistance. She was as tight as a fist, and the shock of his penetration stopped her orgasm. For that, he was truly sorry. He thumbed her clit again and she jerked, nails sinking into his back. “Relax, Nyx. I won’t hurt you.” She let her thighs open wider and he urged her on, whispering in her ear as he slowly pushed all of the way in. 

Sweat beaded on his forehead and he squeezed his eyes shut against the urge to thrust. He rubbed her clit relentlessly and felt her clench around his length. When he rocked his hips experimentally she moved with him. “Can I-” he groaned.

“Yes, Loki, yes,” she ground out, and the tide broke. He tried to be gentle, or at least not too urgent, but then her orgasm hit and she locked her legs around him and it was like a race to the finish line. He came embarrassingly soon after her, having only truly managed a dozen or so strokes.

She held him close, panting to catch her breath, and he rolled to his back without bothering to pull out. He didn’t want to crush her, but he wanted to stay inside for as long as he could. He rubbed her back lazily and let the aftershocks roll through them both. “Are you all right?” he asked after a minute.

“Yes.”

“I wasn’t too rough?”

“No.” Her fingers unclenched and she took her claws out of his sides. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I think I scratched you up.”

He laughed softly and kissed the top of her head. “I think I’ll live.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't happy with this chapter. Too clichéd, so I did some rewriting, but I never really resolved the issues. I went back and forth on the big dick/petite chick thing for awhile and finally just decided fuck it, it's a fanfic and I can be cheesy if I want. Plus, I've been the petite chick staring down a monster and while it was some time ago, I'll never forget the first few times with that dude. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope it wasn't too much of a turnoff. 
> 
> Oh...I also messed with Loki's magic. He can physically change clothing with it (among other things). And I know jack about horses. 
> 
> Aaaaand I'll stop listing all of my various changes and mistakes now. I'm posting this sucker before I lose my nerve. 
> 
> Thanks for reading it.
> 
> J.


	9. Kiss Me

CHAPTER 9

Nyx woke up on top of Loki. She was warm and surprising comfortable considering he was still inside her. She stretched a little and felt him twitch, so she did it again. “Mmmm.”

“Is my lover awake?” he murmured.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she said, a little embarrassed. His arms tightened in a hug and she felt it again. He was getting hard. She lifted her head and grinned at him.

“What? Would you like to go for a swim?” he asked, all innocence.

She decided to play along. “Okay.” She sat up and started to move off of him and Loki laughed.

“Whether it’s now or later, I will have you again.” He let her go, and she stood on wobbly legs. He climbed to his feet and took her hand. They walked to the shallow end of the pool and waded in, and Nyx found the water chilly. Her nipples hardened and drew Loki’s gaze. She started to cross her arms over her chest, but he stepped in and held her hands down at her sides. “None of that.”

She adjusted to the temperature as well as she could and washed his come and her own juices from her inner thighs. Swimming was nice, but the view was nicer still. Loki was lean and well muscled, and he wasn’t the slightest bit modest. 

She went under to wet the rest of her hair and came up with a shiver. She didn’t want to leave the water without getting a closer look at the waterfall, so she swam closer. Loki came up behind her. “Don’t swim in the deep end unless I’m with you. It’s not as placid as it looks.”

He was right, though she didn’t think she was in any true danger. There was a sort of whirlpool in the center and she had to work harder to keep her head above the water, but it wasn’t overly difficult. She looked down and would have been able to see the bottom if it weren’t for the frothing of the water; it was that clear. 

When she’d had enough she swam back to the shallow end and Loki followed. She turned to him and moved in close, and he opened his arms for her. She wrapped herself around him and clung for a minute. He was warm and she was expecting her teeth to start chattering any minute. “You’re cold,” he accused. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He carried her out of the water and over to their pile of discarded clothes where he picked his coat out of the mess, waved a hand, and turned it into a huge bath sheet. He put her down long enough to wrap her in it and then sat and pulled her into his lap. She dropped her head to his shoulder and curled her toes. Being taken care of was nice and she almost told him so, but she didn’t want to invite questions about why it was so foreign to her. Instead she went for a safer topic, or so she thought. “I’ll never get used to that.”

“What?”

“How you can flick your hand and do the most amazing things.”

“It’s just a towel, Nyx.”

“It used to be leather and metal, Loki.”

He laughed and cupped the back of her head. “Kiss me,” was all he said.

And she did.


	10. You Were Awake, Were You Not?

CHAPTER 10

They didn’t get ready to go until late afternoon. She hated to leave their little paradise and return to the palace. Caden was likely out of the way for at least another day, though. Maybe two. She thought about telling Loki the truth for about the hundredth time on the ride back. She was going over it in her head and going back and forth with the reasons she should and the reasons she shouldn’t when he slowed the horse and tightened his arm around her waist. “What are you thinking about, Nyx?”

“Why?”

“You’re tense. I’ve felt like I was holding a statue for the last twenty minutes.”

She twisted around so she could see his face. “I’m sorry. I’d just rather stay back there with you.”

He kissed her. “And I with you. But if we miss dinner, Thor will be out with a search party.”

She nodded and turned back around. They rode the rest of the way without talking. When they entered the stables Thor was on his way out with the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. He stopped when Loki and Nyx rode in. “Greetings, Nyx,” he called, “and Brother, you as well.”

“You’re bleeding rather profusely, Thor,” Loki returned, looking pointedly at his injured arm. He dismounted and reached up for her, and Nyx slid off the horse. Someone (a stable hand? she didn’t know much about the animals or their upkeep) stepped in and took the reins. “Would you like me to look at it?”

“It’s a scratch.”

“So no?”

“Well if you insist.”

Loki walked over and inspected the wound. “It’s almost to the bone in one place, you know.” He held a hand over it and Nyx took a step closer to watch. There was a small flash of light and the wound sort of contracted. It was still there, but smaller. There was no bone showing whatsoever. “Get it cleaned before it closes.”

Thor noticed her standing there and grinned. “Loki and his tricks. Some of them are actually useful once in awhile.”

Loki said nothing in his own defense and she knew Thor meant it as a compliment of sorts, but it still pissed her off. He hadn’t even thanked his brother. “They all seem useful to me. There are places where you would be in danger of dying from a wound like that,” she said, careful to keep her tone polite. She didn’t know Thor well, after all, and she had no true claim to Loki.

“A great warrior does not fear injury or death,” Thor answered. She thought it an odd thing to say and wondered if he was just trying to avoid a confrontation. Loki’s hand went to her back and she looked up at him.

“We should be going.” He gave Thor and his friends a curt nod and ushered her from the building. They were alone on the narrow footpath leading from the stables back to the palace and she waited for him to say something. When he didn’t, she stopped just before the path ended.

“Have I done something wrong?”

“No, of course not. My brother...annoys me at times.”

She moved in closer and placed a hand on his chest. “I can see why.”

He appeared surprised. “Really?”

“Yes.”

#

She woke suddenly during the night and held perfectly still. Something had moved, or there was a noise...something. Something had brought her awake. She prayed it wasn’t Caden returning from the healing room. The queen had said he would need to remain there for another two or three days at dinner, though. She forced herself to continue breathing deep and evenly like she was still asleep. 

The bed dipped and someone climbed in behind her. She froze before she could stop herself.

“It’s me, darling.” Loki sounded amused. She exhaled harshly and rolled to her back, looking over at him.

“You scared me!”

“My apologies. You were awake though, were you not?”

She scowled. “How did you know?”

“You make a noise when you first wake.” His hand was warm on her bare leg and he slid it up underneath her gown. “Are you not pleased to have me in your bed?”

She rolled to her left side so she was facing him. “I was afraid Caden was back,” she admitted. Loki’s features hardened. She reached up and traced his bottom lip with her fingers. “He comes in here when I’m asleep sometimes.”

“Does he touch you?”

“Not the way you’re thinking.” She wriggled closer and realized he was basically fully clothed. “Can we not talk about him now?”

Loki’s hand slid over her ass and she wound her hands in the fabric of his shirt and pulled. He didn’t need much prompting to roll on top of her. “Go slow, okay? I’m a little sore,” she whispered.

“We can’t have that.” His hand found her and she felt an incredible warmth spread through her. 

“Did you just heal my junk?”

He shook with laughter. “Your what?”

“You know!”

“I don’t know, did I?” He put two fingers in his mouth, wetting them, and then brought them down between her legs. He pushed them inside of her and she gasped. “How does that feel?”

She couldn’t find words. She couldn’t _form_ words. “I-.”

He thumbed her clit and she squeezed him with her knees and pulled at his shirt. She wanted to feel his skin. “Please.”

“Please what, Nyx?” 

She yanked at his clothes, arching into him as he slowly pumped his fingers in and out. His head dropped to her neck and he nipped her with his teeth.

“Take your clothes off.”

“As the lady wishes,” he purred, and his clothes disappeared. “What else do you want?”

She reached down and wrapped her hand around his thick cock. Loki’s breath caught, and he didn’t sound quite so in control anymore when he said, “You want me inside you?”

“Yes.”

He pulled her short gown up and tucked it under her arms, then changed his mind because it was gone in the next second. He sought her nipples with his mouth and his tongue was warm and wet. He sucked them until they were hard little buds, and then he flicked them with his tongue. Nyx squirmed and tried to stroke his length at the same time, but she felt out of synch. Impatient, she tried to drag him closer. “Loki.”

“Yes?”

“Please.”

“Please what?”

He pushed an arm under her and tilted her hips up. She let her legs fall wide open. He made a sound somewhere between a groan and a growl and spoke into her ear softly. “Put me in, Nyx. Put me inside you.”

She guided him, aligned him perfectly, and then let go as he sunk in slowly but steadily. It was still a shock, but she welcomed it. When he was all the way, buried to the hilt, she locked her legs around him. He pulled one free and got her under the knee, lifting it almost to her shoulder, and she felt him go a little deeper. “Loki,” she whimpered.

“That’s right, sweetness. Say my name.”


	11. Beautiful and Strange

CHAPTER 11

He left her at dawn, sleeping peacefully, and went back to his chambers only to find his brother passed out on his bed. “Thor,” he said loudly, beyond irritated.

“Wha-.” He woke and shook his head. “Brother. Where have you been?” he asked knowingly.

“That’s none of your concern.” He discarded his tunic on a chair and caught a whiff of Nyx on it.

Thor smirked and moved to the side, making room. Loki spelled himself into bedclothes because there was no way he was letting Thor see the scratches she’d marked him with. “Go back to your own chambers,” he complained, climbing into bed.

“This is more fun.” Thor cleared his throat, obviously enjoying himself. “So what have you learned?” 

“Nyx does not directly lie to me, but she has not yet shared her secrets,” he begrudgingly admitted.

Thor raised an eyebrow. “She’s shared other things, though, hasn’t she?”

“Have a care how you speak, Brother.” He closed his eyes and pictured her as he’d left her, safe and warm in her bed. He’d been loath to go, but staying until full light was risky business. 

“She was...interesting in the stables this evening.”

Loki punched his pillow and thought about doing the same to Thor. “For the love of the nine, Thor, stop trying to be clever and speak your piece. I can keep up, I promise.”

“You think me daft, dear brother, but I know a challenge when I hear one. Nyx was not pleased with my comment about your tricks.”

“She was perfectly polite. Now, is that all? I’d like to rest.”

Thor was quiet for a moment. “I would ask that you accompany me and our friends tomorrow. Alfheim has requested a meeting and Father is sending me as his representative.”

“I am appointed Nyx’s guardian until Caden is released from the healing room. I do not wish to leave-.”

“Mother will look after her in your absence.”

His irritation turned to anger and he wondered if Thor truly required his presence or if it was a ploy. “You know I will only have a couple of days with her before he returns.”

Thor sighed. “Bring her if you must.”

That wasn’t much better, but it _was_ a concession. “I’ll think on it. Now let me go to sleep.”

Thor fell quiet and Loki cracked an eye open. “Well? Off with you!”

“I’d rather stay here. Less chance of a scorpion finding me in my bed.”

“I’ll send an asp for you if you don’t leave my chambers this instant.” 

#

He was intercepted by a servant on his way in to fetch Nyx and it soured his mood. Why had she called for assistance? He could damn well lace her dress for her if she couldn’t do it herself. Besides, if she was to accompany him to Alfheim, he wanted her in his colors. “Nyx?” he called out, and the handmaiden rushed back into the parlor.

“I do not wish to offend, Prince Loki, but my lady is not yet ready!”

He smiled, hoping to charm the girl and expedite the process. “I need to speak with her. I have been asked to Alfheim this day, and if it pleases her, I would have her accompany me.”

The servant rushed off and returned almost as fast. “My lady says if you wish it, it would please her very much.”

He reached for patience. “Then I would ask you to dress her in my colors and use the gold pin I left with her. It is a replica of my helmet.”

The girl nearly swooned. She recovered, curtsied, curtsied again, and then hurried from the room. He sat on a chaise and waited for what seemed an eternity. He could have consulted with Nyx earlier, but in truth he hadn’t made up his mind until he’d arrived in her chambers and been struck with a need to keep her at his side so visceral it staggered him. He should question it, he knew, but he wasn’t spellbound. Magic would have been obvious to him.

“Loki?”

He looked over and froze for a brief moment. Nyx was…

“Is it too much? I asked Serra to choose an appropriate dress, but the ones in your colors are very ornate. Maybe the gold one from the other day with something over it would be better?”

He swallowed and reached--more desperately than he cared to admit, even to himself--for control. She was stunning in the green silk gown, and her hair had been intricately braided and adorned with citrine beads. She also wore makeup, and it was the first time he’d seen her in anything more than a light lip gloss. He became dimly aware of the handmaiden’s presence and Nyx’s words of thanks to the girl before she slipped out, leaving them alone. “You’re beautiful, and I fear I may need to bring guards.”

She walked over to stand in front of him. “If you say so, but am I overdressed?”

Loki stood up. “You’re not. The light elves are quite formal in their dress.” He fingered his pin. It was attached to her right sleeve in a rather clever position so that it appeared to be part of the outfit’s jewels. He would have preferred it between her breasts again, but the dress was low-cut and having his horns dead center would be too conspicuous. 

“It matches your helmet?” She nodded in its direction. He’d left it on the chaise.

“Yes.”

“I’ve never seen you in it.”

He moved his hands to cup her face and kissed her softly. “There hasn’t been an occasion that warranted it since your arrival. We must be proper with the elves, though. To dress casually would cause offense.”

Nyx looked up at him anxiously. “Are you sure you want me to go with you? I don’t know the customs.”

He retrieved his helmet and ushered her to the door. She almost tripped on his cape and looked mortified, so he stopped and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in for another quick kiss. “Relax and you’ll do fine.”

“But-.”

“Shhhh. Now stay a half step ahead of me, or take my arm and leave some space between us and that won’t happen again.” He demonstrated, and Nyx caught on instantly. He led her out into the hall where they caught the notice of several of the staff. 

“Loki….”

“My darling?”

“Everyone is staring,” she whispered.

They turned a corner and he smiled down at her. “It’s because I’m so attractive in my formalwear.” 

She grinned and he started to say something else when Thor came into view, walking in their direction from the opposite end of the hall. He too was dressed for their visit to Alfheim. “Ah, the golden god. Where are your feathers, Brother?”

“At the table, where you are missed.” He paused. “Cow.”

“Cow?” Nyx asked.

“The horns,” Thor supplied. “My lady, you are a vision. I take it you will be traveling with us to Alfheim?”

“Yes, Loki asked me to.”

“He didn’t threaten you with a poisonous serpent, did he?”

“What? No, of course not.”

Thor winked. “He must like you then.”

Heads turned when they entered the dining hall and Loki felt Nyx tense. He whispered a joke to her as they passed behind his parents. His mother of all people turned in her chair to watch. “Mother.” He nodded.

Frigga smiled and reached out a hand. He was forced to stop or be unforgivably rude. “Nyx, you look absolutely lovely.”

Nyx curtsied awkwardly and stuttered out a thank you. Odin then turned and surveyed her head to toe. He did not look pleased and Loki moved closer to her, half afraid she would faint. His mother came to his rescue. “Doesn’t Nyx look lovely, my dear husband? The elves will be delighted.”

Odin grunted in reply. 

“If you’ll please excuse us? Time, I’m afraid, is running short.”

“Of course, Loki,” his mother said.

Once seated, he said quietly, “Do not let my father upset you. It is his manner, not a reflection of his opinion.”

“Sorry, Loki, but I call bullshit.”

He choked on the grape he’d just popped in his mouth and covered it with a cough. She did have questionable manners at times. “Pardon?”

“You heard me.”

He had to smile. “All right, so Father is harder to win over, but Mother, I think, quite likes you.” He took her hand and gave it a small squeeze. “Now please eat something so I don’t worry all morning that you’re hungry.”

She gave him the oddest of looks, but she didn’t argue. Once they finished he escorted her to the back of the hall where Thor was waiting with Sif and the Warriors Three. Sif looked Nyx over with a hint of disapproval, but if she caught it she didn’t react. “Is everyone ready, then?” Thor asked.

Loki nodded his assent and they left the palace for the stables. “Um, so we ride to Alfheim?” Nyx wanted to know.

“No, we use the Bifrost.” Thor frowned. “Is that not how you came from Midgard?”

Loki shot him a look and his brother’s expression made it obvious he’d spoken without thinking. Nyx squirmed under their gazes and just when he was about to try and save her with some lie, she answered. “I was unconscious. I don’t remember traveling here at all.”

Her words sounded truthful even to him. He wondered if she ever lied outright, or just by omission. “Unconscious? Why were you unconscious?”

Now they were on shaky ground, he thought. She flushed and looked down at his boots. “Small accident. I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Did Caden knock you out?” Loki growled, drawing stares from his brother and his friends. Nyx said no and Thor jumped in ahead of him and started explaining the Bifrost in detail. He was still talking when they reached the stables. Fandral selected a gentle horse and tried to have it tacked up for Nyx. “She rides with me,” Loki informed him, motioning to one of the stable hands.

Sif looked her over again. “You don’t ride?”

“Not on horses,” Nyx answered flatly, having obviously caught on to the note of disdain in Sif’s voice. Sif, for her part, pulled back in surprise and glanced over at Loki. He smirked, ridiculously proud. There was a side to Nyx that didn’t back down, and he loved it. 

Once they were all mounted up, Thor took the lead and Loki and Nyx stayed in back. He held her close and stole a couple of quick kisses in spite of the speed they traveled at. She was more relaxed on the horse this time around, or perhaps she was coming to trust him. When they reached Heimdall, he dismounted and reached up for her, drawing the man’s impassive stare. “Have you met Nyx, Heimdall?”

“No. I have not had the pleasure.” He nodded to her. “I am Heimdall, the gatekeeper.”

“The pleasure is mine, sir. I’m Nyx.”

Loki noted she gave no other name and did not say she was of Midgard. His theory that she didn’t lie outright took on a bit more weight. Heimdall, he noticed, smiled ever so slightly.

“We are bound for Alfheim, Heimdall,” Thor said. “May we pass?”

Heimdall nodded, and Loki took Nyx into his arms. “Hold on to me tightly, all right?” She looked up and he smiled reassuringly, hugging her to him. Heimdall opened the Bifrost and Nyx gasped, but she did as he’d instructed her to and held on no less tightly than he held her. 

They set down on Alfheim and a contingent of light elves, mostly males, rushed to greet them. They swarmed around Sif as they always did before one in the group spotted Loki reluctantly letting his arms fall from around Nyx. He took only a half step to the side before the elf in question approached, dropping to bended knee. “Prince Loki, you honor us.”

The others took notice and there was an audible gasp as they too dropped to bended knee. “I, Loki Odinson, present Nyx of Midgard,” he said politely. The elves stared at her and one by one, they all came forward to kiss her hand. She was flustered by the attention, and he placed what he hoped was a comforting hand on the small of her back. “It is their way. Allow it, please.”

She did and soon more elves came running. A plush golden carpet was laid out that ran all the way to the palace, and both Nyx and Sif were presented with flowers. Alrek, one of Alfheim’s princes, personally escorted Loki and Nyx, while Grein, his cousin, led the rest of their party. When they neared the entrance to the palace he spoke quietly to her, knowing anyone close by would also hear. Still, he didn’t want her to be frightened. “Alfheim is a place of magic. When we enter the palace, you may want to avoid looking at the floor directly. It is enchanted and can be disorienting if you aren’t used to such things. Do take a quick glance, though, as it is really quite beautiful.”

Alrek, of course, heard him and came to a halt at the stairs. “We do not wish to upset our guest. I will alter the floor to her liking.” He kneeled and took Nyx’s hand again. “Princess. How may I please you?”

Loki eyed Alrek and decided the elf was flirting with Nyx. There was only so much he could do about it, though. The light elves were like that. She held fast to his arm and gave Alrek a quick, polite smile that didn’t hold an ounce of interest. She was going to be rewarded for that later.

“Please don’t change anything on my behalf. As long as I have Loki’s arm, I’ll be perfectly fine.”

Someone coughed behind them and he could just picture the face Sif was making. Alrek kissed Nyx’s hand yet again. “As you wish.” He stood and turned, and she gave Loki a look that was pure mischief. He caught himself before he laughed, thankfully. 

Once inside there were many, many more elves to greet, and they all vied for a moment with Nyx. He too was showered with respect and affection, and though he was a favorite among the elves for his abilities and understanding of magic, it wasn’t often that he was the center of attention. He had underestimated the effect it would have to bring her dressed as she was. 

Thor made his way over and took up the space on Nyx’s other side so that she stood between them. Loki gave him a small nod of thanks, and Thor beamed back at him and winked. One of the older light elves, a woman by the name of Finna if he recalled correctly, approached with a cautious smile and took Nyx’s hand. Loki shifted closer, remembering Finna as benevolent but very, very powerful. 

Finna stared at their clasped hands and then looked into Nyx’s eyes. He felt her tense and moved closer still, pressing his body up against her back.

“Accept my apologies, dear one, I do not mean to intrude,” Finna said softly. She lifted her gaze up to him. “It is always a joy to see you, Prince Loki.” She stretched up and kissed his cheek and then moved on to speak to Thor. 

He bent to Nyx’s ear. “She’s potent. Did you feel something?” he whispered. Nyx leaned in slightly and he slipped his arm around her. Another of the older elves approached and cut them off before she could reply. When he tried to move back a step she moved with him, so Loki maintained a loose hold on her until they were done receiving.

Alrek led them to a meeting hall bedecked with exotic flowers and several ice sculptures. The ceiling appeared as the night sky and the floor as a lily pond. Small golden lights floated in the air and gave off a warm glow. Nyx had eyes as wide as a child’s and her reaction was not lost on the light elves in attendance. They appeared as taken with her as she was with the environment. Loki kept a firm hand on her when Alrek presented them to Alfheim’s ruler, Frey. Frey’s eyes flicked over them with interest as he waited for Loki to formally introduce Nyx. “May I present Nyx of Midgard?”

Frey indicated his acceptance with a subtle hand motion and Loki stepped forward. He gently positioned Nyx just ahead of him and Frey took her hand. “I am Frey of Vanaheim, ruler of Alfheim, and I am pleased to meet you, Nyx of Midgard.” He paused, and then addressed Loki. “You honor us this day, Prince Loki. Had I known you were bringing a guest, I would have arranged a celebration.”

“That is generous, Frey, and I apologize if you’re disappointed in any way. There was little time to prepare.”

Alfheim’s ruler disengaged his hand from Nyx’s. “Ah, yes. The matter at hand is of great concern to me, so I asked for a meeting without delay. Won’t you please sit?”

Loki wasn’t sure what to do. Thor was representative, but the light elves had apparently taken Nyx for his intended and elevated his status. He looked to his brother and Thor stepped up, once again on Nyx’s other side. “Our father asked me to represent Asgard today. Perhaps you would consider addressing us both?”

Frey smiled faintly. “Of course, Prince Thor.” He motioned to places at the table and had Loki and Nyx sit to the right and Thor, the Warriors Three, and Sif on the left. Thor turned a mild shade of pink at the small slight, but held his tongue. The seats to the right were reserved for honored or important guests, and it was where Thor normally sat when representing Asgard.

Loki had never in his life had a seat to the right of Frey.

Wine was served and all but a handful of the older light elves plus Alrek and Grein left the hall. Once everyone was seated, Frey addressed the table. “I have asked you here today,” he said, first nodding to Loki and then to Thor, “because I fear there is a darkness building in the void.”

“The void?” Thor blurted.

Frey smiled indulgently. “There are other worlds, Thor. Separate from us, but not entirely out of reach.”

“And you sense darkness?” Loki asked. “How?”

Frey sipped his wine and looked around the table. Loki thought his eyes paused and went back to Nyx once or twice and he wondered if Frey was uncomfortable speaking in front of her. He wasn’t sending her out of the hall by herself, though. One of the Warriors would have to go with her if he couldn’t. 

“Would you be more comfortable speaking in private with Thor?” he asked as politely and quietly as possible.

“No. Forgive my lapse. I was thinking.” Frey turned his full attention to Loki. “Those with powerful magic can feel it. We dismissed it as the approach of the convergence for some time, but it is building and, for some reason, becoming more noticeable in the north.”

“The convergence is many, many months away,” Thor said.

Frey looked at him. “Most light elves sense it years ahead of time.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“I’m surprised your brother doesn’t feel it.” He turned again to look at Loki questioningly.

“I can. I just don’t pay it a lot of mind. This darkness, though. I sense nothing out of the ordinary.” 

Frey tapped his finger on the table absentmindedly. “I think you would if you stayed on Alfheim for a day or two. Certainly if you traveled north.”

Loki exchanged glances with Thor, and Thor addressed Frey again. “What do you think it means? The darkness you say is building?”

“All I can say for sure is that it _is_ a darkness. And darkness rarely brings glad tidings. I fear for the safety of the nine realms.”

Thor and Loki looked at each other again. Thor was the first to speak. “I shall bring this to the attention of Odin upon my return to Asgard. Please accept our gratitude for bringing it to the All-Father’s attention.”

“Of course. And please extend my formal invitation to observe it for yourselves.” He indicated Loki with his right hand. “I would be most grateful if Prince Loki and his Nyx of Midgard were to come for a short stay.”

Thor’s shock was evident and Nyx grabbed for his hand. “I am honored by your request, Frey. I’m sure my brother will convey all of this to our father when we return to Asgard.”

“Of course!” Thor exclaimed a little too loudly. He was clearly off balance.

Frey seemed satisfied. He pressed them to stay for lunch, and when it became apparent he expected the courtesy, Thor agreed. Loki stayed out of the decision entirely, all too aware of how he’d unintentionally overshadowed his brother from the moment they’d arrived. 

When Frey stood, he once again turned his attention to Loki and Nyx. “Lunch won’t be served for a few hours yet. If you’d like to steal some time alone, do use my personal stables. Alrek will show you the way.” He left them before Loki could reply and gave Thor a pat on his way out. 

“Do we need to soothe your brother?” Nyx whispered.

“Indeed we do.” He took her hand and walked over to Thor. “Brother-.”

Thor gave a slight shake of the head and Loki shut up. Alrek was already upon them. “May I suggest a visit to one of the beaches, or perhaps a ride through the forest?”

“Ah-.”

Thor cuffed him around the neck and chuckled, but it was forced. “Take our Nyx and seize the day, Loki! It is a rare treat to be offered one of Frey’s horses.”

Nyx stepped into Thor’s space and went up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for giving your permission, Thor. I hoped you would.”

Thor preened and Loki felt something freeze in the pit of his stomach. He was on the verge of grabbing a handful of Nyx’s dress and hauling her backwards when she broke away and returned to his side. Alrek, he realized, was watching the whole thing with interest. He forced his jaw to unclench and breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth a couple of times before he spoke. “Yes, thank you, Thor.”

Alrek led them from the hall. They were stopped again and again on their way out. He only half paid attention to the elves, instead focusing on his breathing as he tried to calm down and think. Why had a simple kiss to the cheek inflamed him so? He’d even briefly considered swatting her on the bottom. And it was obvious Nyx sensed he was in a foul mood even though he worked to cover it. She made no demands on him and followed his lead without comment or question. She didn’t so much as even squeak when he selected an enormous black horse and roughly lifted her onto its back before mounting up behind her. Alrek frowned and sought her foot, giving it a brief rub before he was forced to get out of the way.

Loki rode out of the stable and onto the nearest path where he urged the horse to its top speed. They were a good number of minutes and a respectable distance from the palace before he calmed enough to slow down. Nyx remained still and didn’t speak until they reached one of the white sand beaches and he stopped. She jumped off the horse without his assistance and leveled him with a look. “I was only trying to help, you know.”

“Do not ever lay your lips on my brother again.”

Her eyes narrowed and he dismounted, going to stand in front of her. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me, but it made me furious and I’m still trying to regain my composure.”

“Okay.”

Nyx moved away from him and squinted against the light, holding a hand over her eyes to shade them. He leaned against the horse and watched her take the beach in. She didn’t comment, though.

“What do you think of Alfheim?” he asked after a bit.

“It’s beautiful and strange. I wish you had warned me about the elves, though.”

“I would have if I’d realized how they were going to react. I knew you would get a lot of attention, but I thought it would be divided between you and Sif and that it would be less...profuse, I suppose. They clearly think I’m set on marrying you.”

She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled faintly. “That explains a lot.”

“Is it so distasteful?”

“No, I just wasn’t prepared for all the kneeling and kissing and shit.”

“Honestly, Nyx, mind your mouth,” he snapped. “A princess doesn’t speak that way.”

“We’re alone. I didn’t know it bothered you.” She sounded properly chastised and he felt guilty straightaway. He pushed off from where he still leaned against the horse and went to her. She resisted when he tried to pull her against his chest. 

“I’ve hurt your feelings.”

“No. I’m fine.”

Loki sighed and jerked his helmet off. It was hot in the light of day and he’d had it on for what felt like hours and hours. He tossed it down on the sand. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I don’t know why I’m so irritable.” He paused. “I’ve never been treated this well on Alfheim and here I am snapping at my lover.” He smoothed a hand down her braid and tried to tuck the flyaway hairs back into place. 

Nyx tentatively leaned back against him and relief washed over him like cool water. “There’s my darling,” he said softly. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned down to rest his head against hers.

“Are we going to have to come back and stay? Will your father go for it?”

“Almost certainly. It would be rude to say no. Father will not force you to accompany me, however. If you wish to stay on Asgard, excuses will be made accordingly.”

She was quiet for a beat. “What do you want?”

“I want you with me every minute of every day,” he answered impulsively, and could have bitten his tongue in two for sounding so desperate.

She turned and stretched up to wind her arms around his neck, and Loki bent down a little so she could reach. It was easier to just pick her up and so he did after a moment. “Then I’ll come with you if I can. Caden’s going to get well at some point, though. I don’t know how he’ll react.”

“I’m starting to think he should have an accident of a more permanent nature.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Frey is supposed to be Frigga's father, but he's not in this fic. It wouldn't have worked for the story.


	12. You Still Fight Like Children

CHAPTER 12

“Come in, Thor.”

Thor closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He was still dressed formally. When they’d returned from Alfheim there was no time to speak to their parents before the feast.

“Well?” Loki prompted. “Did you speak to Father?”

“You should have accompanied me. You were the representative today.”

There was only a hint of irritation in Thor’s voice. Loki cocked his head to the side and considered his brother carefully. “It was not by design. I didn’t realize the elves would react that way to Nyx.”

“I know.”

He waited. Thor moved away from the door and paced about. “I’m worried. Father did not seem surprised about this gathering darkness Frey spoke of.”

He sat up straighter and pushed his book aside. “What did he say?”

Thor had his back turned so that he spoke out the window instead of directly to him. “He is sending you to confirm it. Just as Frey suggested.” He paused and then turned to face him. “And he’s sending Nyx with you. He said her presence at your side will soothe the light elves and give them a small distraction from their worries. I am to remind you, however, that you were told not to become attached to her.”

“It is too late for that.”

“I know. I believe Mother is working to influence Father on your behalf.”

Thor’s posture was too rigid for the fatigue stamped upon his face. Loki thought him truly tense, and that wasn’t his natural state. Thor was enthusiastic in everything he did. Even when he was tired there was a certain joyfulness to it under normal circumstances. His countenance in this moment did not bode well. “What aren’t you saying?”

Thor started to pace again. “I assumed he would grant Frey’s request just as I’m sure you did, but there was no discussion about Nyx at all. No concern for her safety.”

“I will see to her safety. I’m more concerned by Father’s reaction to this news of Frey’s.”

Thor slumped down in the chair opposite him and pushed a hand through his hair. “I so wish you had reported in with me. I fear he is keeping many secrets.”

“Father always has a purpose.” 

But what was it? They sat in pensive silence for several minutes before either of them spoke again. “Have you learned anything more from Nyx?”

“Not really. We had a bit of a tiff today.”

One of Thor’s eyebrows went up. “Oh?”

“I was overtaken with jealousy when she kissed you. So much so that I felt around for a spell of some kind later on, but there was nothing. It was strange and I...I still have the most outlandish urge to punish her.”

“Punish her? How?”

“You really can’t come up with a guess on your own?” He scowled. This was embarrassing. 

“Surely you don’t wish to strike her?” Thor was appalled. 

“Well not as I would strike a man, no.”

“But-.”

“Over my knee, all right? I’d quite like to give her a spanking!”

Thor burst out laughing. “Are you positive you aren’t bespelled? The light elves are known for this kind of thing, after all.”

“ _Are you mocking me?_ ”

“What? Brother, no-.” Thor’s smile was a bit too bright, though.

“Even if I missed it because we were on Alfheim, it never would have escaped my notice once I _looked_.”

Thor shrugged dismissively. “You and your magic. Why you choose it over-.”

“Enough, you witless oaf! This is what I get for trying to talk to you-.”

“Boys!”

Frigga was standing in the doorway. Loki and Thor jumped to their feet at the same time. “Mother,” Loki said.

“Mother,” Thor said.

She walked inside and looked from one to the other. “Sit.”

They sat. 

“Now what is this about?”

Neither of them spoke. Loki ran daggers through Thor with his eyes. If he told Frigga what they’d been discussing….

“Fine. You will hold hands for the next fifteen minutes.” She smiled at them. Thor’s mouth fell open.

“What? Mother, we are not children anymore,” he complained.

She walked over and stood next to Thor’s chair. “Up with you.” She looked at Loki. “And you.” She pointed to the large chaise he had in front of one of his bookcases. “You can sit there.”

“You’re serious?” Loki asked.

Frigga pointed and they both reluctantly got up and went to sit together on the chaise. “Oh, this is ridiculous,” he muttered. Thor snorted in disgust and held his hand out. He took it in his and together they glared at their mother. Her smile was not sweet.

“You still fight like children, so I will treat you as such.” She sat and crossed her legs, glancing around the room. “I came to discuss your stay on Alfheim, Loki.”

He said nothing. His mother’s gaze eventually swung back around. “You should take enough clothing for four days. You will need formal attire most of all, but you should also take warmer things in case you travel north. There is deep snow and ice in northern Alfheim. I will personally see to it that Nyx is provided for.”

“Thank you, Mother.” He tried not to sound petulant.

“Keep your wits about you. From what your brother described, the light elves were passionately attracted to Nyx. It will work in your favor that they see her as a future princess of Asgard, but this does not mean you won’t be challenged for her affections. I would be particularly careful around Alrek. He has a reputation.”

“He did keep trying to touch her,” Thor remarked.

Frigga looked at him expectantly so Loki nodded in agreement. 

“And remember Nyx has no magical defense-.”

“Mother,” he said, trying for patience in his tone, “I know that.”

Thor was staring at him, all of the teasing and mocking from just a few minutes before gone. “Perhaps I should go with you.”

He couldn’t believe the two of them. Was he but a boy in their eyes? “Do you think me incompetent? I can care for Nyx and myself, even in the cold should we go north.”

“No, of course not. I simply want you to be properly prepared. You have never been away from Asgard for such a period of time without your…” She stopped and had the decency to look sheepish.

“Brother,” Thor supplied. “And what if you need me?” Thor held his free hand up when Loki started to snarl. “I mean no offense. But remember what it was like today. They were all over her, and were you not grateful when I stood on her other side so they could only approach from the front?”

He had been, but he wasn’t going to admit it now. His mother was looking back and forth between them and had moved to the edge of her seat. “Was it that bad?”

Loki made a noncommittal sound. “I thought it was in part due to the surprise. When we go back tomorrow, they will be expecting her. And most of the elves in the palace got to meet her already. We stood and received for quite some time.”

His mother’s lips thinned and she held the arms of her chair tightly. “Perhaps Thor should go. Just as a precaution.”

“No.”

“Loki-.” Thor began in a soothing tone.

He glared at him. “You were not asked, Thor. Have you thought about that?”

“We could come up with a reason.” Thor’s brows pulled together. “Wait, Frey did say to extend his formal invitation to observe it for ourselves. He would not object if Father sent me too.”

“I would be pleased if you would at least consider your brother’s offer, Loki. If not for yourself then for Nyx.”

He stood up only to realize Thor still held his hand. Would this nonsense never cease? He sat back down and stomped his foot on the floor. “Nyx is not helpless. She may have sought contact a time or two, a bit of reassurance that I was there, but she handled all of it quite smoothly.”

Frigga looked to Thor. “Is that true?”

“She was taken aback, I think, but she did well.” He shifted uncomfortably and looked down at the floor. “Sif was kind of...wary of her and-.”

“You mean rude to her,” Loki said.

Thor didn’t take the bait. He inclined his head as though he conceded. “...and Nyx ignored her or gave it right back. She didn’t look to anyone to fight for her.”

“Trading sharp words with Sif is a far cry from handling Alrek if he gets her alone.”

Loki had been staring up at the ceiling, but he lowered his head at that. “Oh, that won’t be happening.”

“You can’t watch her constantly, Brother.”

“Care to wager?”

Frigga cut them off when they started to argue again. “All right, that is quite enough. Loki, you clearly do not wish our interference, so I am going to ask one small thing of you and one small thing of your brother.”

“I’m listening, Mother.”

“As am I.”

She smoothed her dress over her knees and sat straight, looking first at him and then at Thor. “If you are overwhelmed or endangered in any way, you are to leave Alfheim at once.”

He could have argued but was only mildly interested in doing so. He would agree to wear peacock feathers at this point if it would get the two of them out of his chambers. “I accept your terms.”

“Do not think I can’t hear in your voice that you simply humor me, Loki!”

He made an exasperated gesture with his free hand. Fifteen minutes had to be up by now. “This is Alfheim, Mother. With light elves. My powers are stronger in realms of magic, and light elves are almost exclusively peaceful. What in the nine are you so worried about?” He drew in a breath. “And can I please let go of Thor’s hand now?”

She waved him on and they both sighed with relief and let go of each other. “The light elves have powerful magic,” she began.

He sat back and spread his knees gracelessly, trying to get comfortable. “Yes, I know. And so do I,” he said, again trying not to sound as exasperated as he was.

“But with that much it can be difficult to filter. What if someone enchants Nyx and you miss it? What if her eye wanders under some spell of Alrek’s and you lose your temper? What if you travel north and get caught in a storm? You can’t just teleport out if she’s with you.”

“Are you worried I’ll get hurt or that I’ll embarrass Asgard?” He stood up and went over to the window, giving both of them his back.

“You are my youngest and you are prone to mischief. Can you not at least understand that as your mother, I am apprehensive?”

He said nothing, so Thor did. “And what of my part, Mother? You said you would ask one thing of him and one of me.”

Frigga sighed. Loki kept his back turned. “I would ask that if your brother returns early for any reason that you do not say a word. If you or any of your friends tease him, you shall answer to me. And Thor, dearest, you will not enjoy it.”

“I accept your terms as well, Mother.”

Silence fell and he could feel them behind him, waiting for some reaction. He wasn’t going to give them one.

“Mother, I wonder if I might have a word with Loki alone?”

She walked over to him and he felt her hand on his shoulder briefly. Then she left. “What do you want, Thor?”

“I didn’t offer to go because I think you’re incapable. I offered to go because you’re my brother and two is better than one. I would be lying if I said I don’t feel protective. I do. But not in a ‘here, you forgot your warm skirt and mittens’ kind of way, all right?”

“Not worried I’ll freeze out in the snow?”

Thor laughed. “Hardly. That was Mother being a mother. Try not to take it so badly. She was no different just now than when I first started going out fighting without our father.”

He turned and searched Thor’s face, finding nothing but sincerity. 

“And I will keep my end of her bargain. Do not let pride keep you from returning if the elves are too much for Nyx. I would be on edge taking even Sif there for more than a day. Truthfully.”

“Thank you, Brother,” he said quietly.

Thor turned to leave. “Your hands are as soft as a girl’s, by the way. Can I have some of your lotion?”

“Of course. Just remember it’s normal for your cock to turn blue the first few times you use it.”


	13. Back to Alfheim

CHAPTER 13

“Loki?”

He hadn’t made a sound, but Nyx woke the moment he materialized in her bedchamber. It was late, but he’d tried to sleep after he’d packed his things and couldn’t. It was alarming how quickly he was coming to need her, especially since he still didn’t know where she was from or what it was Caden wanted of her. “Yes, it’s me.”

She turned over in bed and pulled the covers back for him. “I’m glad you came.”

He slid in next to her. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I wasn’t sleeping well anyway. Did Thor talk to your parents?”

He shifted and brought her close so that her head rested on his chest. “Yes, we are to travel to Alfheim tomorrow. Mother came to my chambers this evening and said to pack enough for four days. She also said she would see to it that you’re prepared. I would expect a busy morning. She may well come herself along with the servants.”

Nyx wiggled more deeply into his embrace and he rubbed her back lazily. He wondered if it soothed her as it did him. “You’re so tense I feel like I’m lying on a rock. What else happened?”

And here he’d thought he was finally starting to relax. “Mother and Thor irritated me. They’re worried I am going to fail without my brother’s supervision. Mother even went so far as to say if we travel north, we could be caught in a snowstorm.”

“Oh, no, inclement weather.” She looked up and grinned. “Seriously?”

“Mmmm. And what if an elf enchants you and I get jealous? Can’t have Loki embarrassing Asgard.”

“They said that?” Nyx was no longer smiling. A hint of anger had crept into her voice and perversely it lightened his mood.

“Not directly, but the meaning was clear.”

She reached up with one hand to pet his hair. For a simple touch, it felt remarkably good. “No wonder you’re angry.” 

#

Nyx woke up with her head on Loki’s chest and an arm around his waist. She heard a voice, she thought it might be his mother’s, and then he was gone right out from under her. She blinked, completely confused, and started to sit up.

“Nyx?” the voice called softly.

“Yes, I’m here.”

Frigga entered with Serra, the servant that had apparently been assigned to her. “Please go and check on her new dresses,” Frigga said, and the girl hurried out. “I’m going to assume Loki has already visited and told you of your return trip to Alfheim?” she said knowingly.

“Uh, yes, Queen Frigga.” 

Loki’s mother walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “Call me Frigga, dear.”

“Okay.” She sat up fully, but she didn’t know what to do. Should she get up? Frigga was just sitting there looking at her, and she had to force herself not to squirm. “I-I should have been up by now. I apologize-.”

“Don’t be silly; it is early yet. I would have left you be if we weren’t pressed for time. There is a lot to do if you are to go with Loki this morning.” She paused. “Is that your desire? To accompany him back to Alfheim?”

“Yes.”

Frigga smiled briefly. “So be it, then. We’d best get to work. You’ll need to go and get in the bath now if you want to wash.”

Nyx pushed the covers back and got out of bed obediently. She was passing Frigga on her way to the bath when the woman reached out and caught her hand. “You have residual magic all over your arm. Why?”

She thought about lying, but what was the point? She was pretty sure the queen knew what was going on between her and her son. “Loki removed some bruises I had.”

“What were they from?”

“Caden.”

“He is physically abusive then.”

Nyx watched Frigga closely, but she was keeping her expression neutral. “He’s trying to get me to snap.”

“Will that work?”

“I’m sure it does in some cases. It will never work on me.”

She saw genuine curiosity on Frigga’s face but the queen of Asgard didn’t ask for an explanation. “You don’t wish to join with him at all, do you?”

“No. It’s his cause, not mine.”

Frigga nodded and let go of her hand. Nyx started for the bath again and then stopped and looked back. “You don’t know me and you have no reason to trust me, but I swear to you that I’m not trying to leverage your son. I genuinely like Loki, and I tried to warn him off. Caden is going to try and use him somehow.”

Frigga held her eyes and Nyx hoped she saw the truth. When the silence started to stretch on, the woman shook herself and gestured in the direction of the bath. “Go on, now. I’ve kept you for too long. I’m going to start laying things out so we can get you packed.”

“Thank you, Frigga,” she said, and then hesitated.

“What troubles you?”

“Um, Loki likes me to match.”

“I ordered everything with green, dear. Is there anything else?”

She balanced her weight on the balls of her feet and shifted back and forth a couple of times. This was awkward, and she was all too aware of how she didn’t fit in. “Can I take a pair of pants and my boots? It’s awkward riding distances in a dress.” Her face heated and she fidgeted waiting for Frigga’s answer.

“Of course. I’ll have Serra fetch some tunics for you to wear with.”

“Thank you.”

Frigga nodded and shooed her away with a slight smile. She used the facilities and tried to rush through her bath, but her hair needed washing and that slowed her down considerably. When she finally emerged wrapped in a bath sheet her bedchamber was a hive of activity. Serra scurried over and grabbed another towel from the basket of fresh linens that had been placed in front of the privacy wall. “My lady, your hair!” She gathered it up with the towel and started squeezing the excess water out while Nyx stood there like an idiot. She’d never in her life had someone dry her hair.

Frigga looked up from where she was selecting clothes. There were three women carefully holding up items from a massive selection that had been brought in with a rolling wardrobe of some sort. “Nyx, is it okay if we stay while Serra gets you dressed? We’re running low on time.”

Not wanting to be difficult, she agreed. Serra quickly got her hair towel dried and combed through. She almost balked at the underwear and corset that came next but she couldn’t very well refuse in front of Loki’s mother. The gown Frigga had chosen for her to wear was unlike anything Nyx had ever seen. It was an almost iridescent white silk and cut low in the front. And it was very, very fitted. Serra put the dark green silk wrap Loki had chosen that first day on and started to secure it with a jeweled pin when Nyx stopped her. “Loki’s pin, please. It’s right over there.”

“Of course, my lady.”

She sat for her hair and makeup to be done and didn’t say anything else until Serra opened a box and started decorating her braid with gems. “Are those diamonds?” she yelped.

Serra froze. “You do not care for them?”

“I...I...I,” she stammered. Frigga walked over and patted her on the shoulder. 

“Do not fuss. Unless you truly do not care for the stones, that is.”

She started to stand and caught herself. She sat back down. 

“Nyx?”

This was too much. She was completely out of place here. They wanted to put diamonds in her hair, for crap’s sake. Her breath caught and for one brief, terrifying second she thought she was going to start hyperventilating. Frigga’s hand went to her shoulder again.

“Will you all leave us for a moment?”

The room cleared and Nyx started to get up again, but Frigga’s touch was firm. “Stay put. Now what is the matter?”

“Diamonds? In my hair? What if I lose one?”

“Then you lose one. There are many more where those came from.”

She grabbed a hairpin with one of the smaller stones mounted on it. “I could feed myself for a month with this!”

“Ah. You are not accustomed to wealth then?”

“No.”

Frigga sat and put an arm around her. “We can choose another set of jewelry for your hair, but it will not change the fact that Loki is a prince of Asgard and you are traveling with him to represent the realm.”

“In other words, quit being a baby.”

Frigga’s laugh was sweet. “I do not wish you any discomfort. You clearly feel out of your element.” She paused. “We really must make a decision, though.”

“I’ll wear whatever you tell me to.”

#

Loki paced the entryway just inside of the main palace doors. His mother had sent word that they were running behind and would meet him there. The luggage had already been sent via guard and the report back said hundreds of elves were gathering outside of Frey’s gates hoping to see them arrive.

His brother, the Warriors Three, and Sif all stood in a line to the left. Thor must have said something to their friends because they were uncharacteristically quiet. He looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and saw his father walking towards him with a handful of the guard in tow. He stopped his pacing and waited. Odin came to a halt a couple of feet in front of him and said, “My son,” by way of greeting.

“Good morning, Father. Are you well?”

Odin ignored the formality. “Your brother has given you instructions?”

“I am to confirm this gathering darkness, as Frey has called it. Nyx will provide a distraction for the elves and ease their worries. I am not to become attached to her.”

“Very good, Loki. I am given to understand it is already far too late for the latter.”

He looked his father in the eye and decided lying would be useless. “I am fond of her, yes.”

To his complete surprise, his father put an arm around him and spoke quietly. “This has happened rather suddenly, has it not?”

Again, no point in lying. “Yes, Father.”

“You detect no interference? No spell, no potion, no manipulation?”

Every muscle in his body tightened in offense. “No.”

Odin did not reply. There was a commotion in the hall behind them and he and his father both turned to look. Thor and their friends stepped aside and all he saw at first was a parting of bodies. Servants and guards, a couple visiting from Vanaheim and their child, they were all moving out of the way.

It was his mother and Nyx. Time slowed as he, and everyone else in attendance watched them walk. Nyx was dressed in such a lavish manner that she could have been a bride. Her white silk gown had a train that was being carried by a handmaiden and her braid was an elaborate affair interspersed with tiny flowers and fiery diamonds. Her lips were painted a deep scarlet red. She walked with perfect posture, taking small steps as the skirt to her gown was slim and restricted her movement. 

Loki forgot to breathe, quite frankly. His mother had her arm and walked her in to face him and his father. “My queen,” Odin said, and there was a hint of some emotion in his tone. Irritation? Amusement? Some combination of the two? He couldn’t be sure. “Nyx.”

Nyx curtsied and greeted his father politely. Frigga had been at work, all right. He caught his mother’s eye and she winked. “Do you think the light elves will be pleased, my king?” she asked.

Odin gave her a look. “Indeed.” He turned to Loki. “It is time.”

He switched places with his mother and took Nyx’s arm. When they got to the palace doors Thor and Volstagg were there. They opened the doors and held them. Loki looked to his brother and Thor grinned as they passed.

His horse was waiting at the bottom of the steps. He looked to the servant still holding Nyx’s train. “I’m going to lift her.”

“Yes, Prince Loki.”

He placed his hands on her silk covered hips. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

He carefully lifted her up and then took the train from her servant and tucked it in around her as well as he could. He mounted up and nodded to everyone on the steps watching, then secured her with an arm and signaled the horse to walk. Once they were on the bridge, Nyx sagged against him and he gave her a little squeeze. “Are you all right?”

“Yes. I was nervous with everyone watching.”

“You did well.” He tried to nuzzle her, but his helmet was hindering him. “Damn horns.”

She laughed and he smiled, though she couldn’t see it. He took his time on the bridge and they didn’t reach Heimdall for several minutes. When at last they did, he had her hold on so he could dismount first. He reached up and plucked her off his horse as carefully as he could and then he reached down for her train. “I can get that, Loki.”

“No need. I’ve got it.” He led her into the observatory and stopped before the gatekeeper. “We are bound for Alfheim, Heimdall.”

Heimdall appeared amused by this. “I know,” he answered. “I wish you both well.”

“Thank you.” Loki turned Nyx into his arms and gathered her close. “Remember to hold on tightly.”

She said she would and he signaled the gatekeeper. Their journey through was a quick one, and he realized he’d forgotten to warn her about the assembled elves. There were dozens when they landed and hundreds if not thousands outside of Frey’s gates that began cheering the second they appeared. Alrek stepped in at once and waited for him to turn Nyx loose. He was trying to remember a spell to fix her hair. He ran his hand over it and Alrek said, “Allow me.”

He fixed it with barely a flick of the wrist and Loki let her go. When she turned to face the elves he watched their faces and enjoyed a moment of pure pride. He bent to arrange her train and one of the women actually squealed in delight. Alrek dropped to his knee yet again and kissed her hand yet again. “I am so pleased you have returned to us, my lady. Won’t you both follow me?” He stood and gestured to the golden carpet that had been laid out and covered in flower petals this time. The air was sweet with their perfume, but it wasn’t overly potent as he would have expected. 

Loki looked over his shoulder at all those gathered and cheering and trying to get a peek. “Nyx, I’m going to pick you up for a moment.” He kneeled and pulled her bottom to his shoulder. She caught on to what he intended right away and grabbed a handful of his cape for balance. He stood and turned with her to face the crowd. “Wave to them.”

She did, and the elves cheered so loudly it was deafening. He stuck with smiling and tried to figure out what to do when his helmet started to slip. Nyx must have felt it because she let go of his cape and quickly righted it. She left her hand wrapped around the back of his neck and after a few more seconds he yelled up to her, “I’m putting you down now!”

He lowered her to her feet. Nyx looked at him and smiled, and the quick kiss he gave her in return caused a thunderous round of applause. Alrek appeared at his side and held a hand out to showcase them. “Prince Loki of Asgard and Lady Nyx of Midgard!” he yelled. Then he said out of the side of his mouth, “Let’s go before they break down the gate, hmmm?”

Nyx took his arm and they swung around to walk the golden carpet. There were light elves of the palace stationed on either side and they threw more flower petals as they passed. “Our people are overjoyed in spite of the darkness that gathers. I thank you with all my heart,” Alrek said. 

“The All-Father hoped sending Nyx with me would provide some comfort. I must confess I was not expecting a welcome of this magnitude.”

Alrek led the way inside. There were several elves in the receiving hall, but he didn’t stop to indulge them. Loki nodded to several in passing and Nyx smiled for them. Once in the main hall, it was much quieter. “To have a prince of Asgard bring his intended to Alfheim is a very great honor, Loki. We value love almost as much as magic.” He stopped at a set of doors that led to the throne room. “Frey would like to see you for a moment and then I’ll take you to your rooms.” 

Alrek opened the door and held it. Loki led Nyx inside and walked her up the aisle. When they were close enough, he stopped and bowed and she curtsied with perfect timing. Frey smiled. He was much less formal than Odin. “Prince Loki and his Nyx of Midgard. I am so pleased to have you here as my guests.”

“We thank you for your most kind invitation, Frey. The All-Father and Queen Frigga send their warmest regards.”

“I had a brief meeting with your father last night. It was and always is good to see the All-Father.”

Odin had traveled to Alfheim? It must have been after the feast and his meeting with Thor. Or had Frey come to Asgard? Odd.

Frey sat forward on the throne and shifted his weight. “There will be a feast this evening to welcome and celebrate you. I urge you to rest this afternoon; Alrek will show you to your rooms. If you have the desire to explore, again, please make use of my personal stables.”

“That is very generous and I thank you.” He paused. “There was a crowd at your gates. I wonder if we should go out and receive?” 

One corner of Frey’s mouth turned up. “You are generous as well. I’ve seen the crowd, however, and its enthusiasm. Alrek?”

Alrek stepped forward. “Yes, Father?”

“Have one of the open carriages prepared and assemble an escort of at least a dozen riders. I want our guests well protected.”

“Shall I go now?”

“That is up to Loki.”

He inclined his head thoughtfully. “If it’s not a bother. Do you fear the crowd is dangerous?” He wanted to know if he was taking Nyx out there.

“Not at all, but they are overexcited and light elves have a strong tendency to touch. There are simply too many gathered for you to walk outside of the gates right now.”

“The carriage is a perfect choice then. Thank you.”

Alrek turned to him. “We can have it ready in a matter of minutes. Would you care to follow me, or would you like to settle into your rooms first?”

“Nyx? Do you have a preference?”

“We can go now.” She moved in closer to his side and Loki rested his hand on the small of her back.

Frey beamed down at them as they took their leave. He promised to see them at the feast. Alrek led them back out into the hall and through a side door. He gathered several members of the palace guard as he went, and once they reached the stables a carriage was rigged with impressive speed. Loki lifted Nyx up and had her sit while the escorts’ horses were tacked up and they mounted. Alrek was joined by Grein up front and when they were ready to move out, Loki inspected the setup and then climbed into the carriage with Nyx. He took her hand as soon as they started moving. “How are you faring?”

She leaned into him and he let her hand go in favor of putting his arm around her. “I’m okay.”

“I thought we’d ride the streets and wave for an hour or two. That way we can take the afternoon for ourselves.”

“Really?” Her obvious happiness made him want to kiss her, so he did, but briefly. They were almost at the gates and he wanted to keep an eye on things.

#

“Thank you, Alrek.” Loki nodded to the prince and ushered Nyx inside their suite of rooms. 

“The feast won’t begin until dark. I had lunch sent in for you; it should be setup on the terrace already. If you require anything at all, please ring the bell and your servants will come immediately.”

He thanked Alrek again and he left, closing the door firmly. “Alone at last.” He pulled his helmet off and breathed a sigh of relief. Nyx was staring in wonder at their surroundings. “We’ve been given the best of the guest chambers, I’m sure.”

She walked through the enormous living area, around the pool, and into the master bedchamber. “Our clothes are in here.”

He followed and propped his shoulder against the doorframe. “That’s convenient.”

She looked at the bed and then back at him. “They put us together? You don’t have to sneak in?”

He smiled. “No, they fully expect us to be sleeping together. There is an additional bedchamber, though, for the sake of appearances.”

“I’m starting to like Alfheim a lot.” She grinned, but something was off. She was and had been quiet all morning. He walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders.

“What troubles you?”

She put her head down on his chest. “I can barely breathe in this corset.”

He unpinned her wrap and sucked a breath in. He’d caught glimpses of her cleavage when she moved, but he hadn’t realized how revealing the dress truly was. “My mother dressed you in this?” 

Nyx gave a soft laugh. “Yes, but I don’t think she realized what she was getting herself into. They had to use tape to keep me from falling out of the corset.”

Loki was appalled. “Your breasts are _taped?_ My poor baby!” He dropped the silk wrap on the bed and spelled her out of the gown. She was exquisite in her underthings, but her discomfort was obvious. He turned her and unlaced the corset by hand and then tried to peel it off. It was indeed stuck to her breasts. She pulled at the tape gingerly and got it off, but not without removing some skin. Loki palmed her breasts and healed the damage. He lingered a moment before he removed his clothes and the rest of hers. The sweat cooled on his body and he hoped he didn’t smell like a horse. “Hmmm. Bath or a swim?”

“Do you read minds?” She reached up to pull a pin from her hair and hesitated. “I can’t redo this myself. Should I try not to mess it up?”

He bent forward and kissed his way from her cheek to her neck to her ear and whispered, “Oh, it’s going to get messed up.”

“I’m serious, Loki. What about the feast tonight?”

He stood upright again and started pulling the pins out himself. “There will be servants fighting over who gets to do your hair. Do not worry about it.” He tossed the pins down on the bed and plucked the flowers out next. When he was done he loosened the braid and slowly pulled it out, massaging her scalp with his fingers. She sagged against him. “A bath, I think.”

They found it at the end of a short hall. The sunken tub was large, full, hot, and bubbling under some kind of enchantment. He used a spell on his water at home, though he kept his more placid. 

Candles and flower arrangements lined the sides and he took her hand and led her down the stone steps into the water. She sighed with pleasure and sat down on one of the benches. He took up a bottle of soap and quickly scrubbed himself down only to discover the scent was fruity. Nyx giggled. “Would you rather I smell of horse?”

“Not really, no. Can I use some of that?”

He smirked and held the bottle out of reach. “Stand up.”

She did and he proceeded to wash every inch of her. He massaged her neck, shoulders, and back, and even rubbed the tension out of her calves. She was purring by the time he finished. “Sit and have a rinse now.”

Nyx sunk down in the deepest part of the bath and he noted with amusement that she could practically swim in it. He indulged her frolicking for about five minutes before he snaked a hand out and caught her. She was so silky smooth he couldn’t stop touching her once he got her situated on his lap. She turned her head and caught his mouth, sliding her tongue in. He nipped just to tease her and she bit him right back. Loki broke away laughing. “Oh, I do enjoy you, Nyx.”

She wiggled and brushed up against his cock deliberately. The slide of her bare bottom on his legs was too much. He was going to have to cut their playtime short. He found her with a hand and went straight for her little button, causing her to jump in surprise. “Loki!”

“Sorry, darling. I’m impatient.” A thought occurred to him as he said it: light elves were enthusiastic lovers. There was probably lubricant of some kind in their bedchamber. He’d wanted to have her astride in the bath, though. He was still trying to decide what to do when Nyx turned and straddled him, reaching between them to align his cock with her entrance. “Are you-.” He broke off and gritted his teeth when she impaled herself. She didn’t get further than a couple of inches, but it was enough to make him pant. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and all he could do was try to breathe when she pushed down with enough force to take him all the way. A tiny whine escaped her throat and she held still for several seconds. Both of them were gasping for air, and Loki wrapped both arms around her waist and dropped his head to her shoulder. 

Her legs tensed and she came up slowly and then sunk down again. She did that three or four times before moving got easier for her. He let her control it entirely and didn’t make any demands until she started going at him harder and faster. Only then did he grab her hips and thrust up at the same time she came down. Nyx choked and short nails bit into his biceps. He shifted the angle of her hips slightly and started hitting her clit with each upstroke. Her breasts bounced in his face and he couldn’t look away even though he knew he was going to come too fast. 

Not before her, though. He started talking, urging her on, telling her how she felt wrapped around his cock and how he was going to finish her and then have her all over again. She pulled his hair and started to lose her rhythm and a second later he felt the first contraction and her cheeks flooded with color.

He tried to let her finish, but it was useless and he shoved hard, grinding into her while her pussy all but swallowed his cock. He let go with a shudder and emptied himself into her, hating his lack of control. 

Nyx collapsed in his arms, breathing heavily. After a few moments she started to stroke his hair, but she made no attempt to move off of him. “Loki?”

“What?”

“What’s the matter?”

He thought about ignoring her or making an excuse, but something made him blurt the truth. “I’m embarrassed I couldn’t hold out.”

She sat up and blinked. “What?”

“Did I not speak clearly?” he snapped.

“Do you hold everyone to impossible standards or just yourself? Where am I coming up short at?” She scrambled off his lap and was on the opposite side of the bath with her arms crossed over her breasts before he could even think.

“Have I voiced complaints, you silly twit? Get back over here.” He held his hand out to her but she wouldn’t take it. “Nyx, I mean it. Come to me.”

“No. I’m uncomfortable now.”

“Uncomfortable? Why?”

“Because I didn’t know we were grading our performances! Did I come too fast too? What does that even mean?”

“Nyx, to me, you’re perfect in every way. A man wants to have stamina, that’s all.” He reached out to her again even though he half feared rejection. “Come to me. Please.”

She slowly dropped her arms and came closer. He waited for her to take his hand, and when she did, he pulled her back onto his lap and kissed her cheek. Her hair clung to her neck wetly and he brushed it back with fingers that shook ever so slightly. And he’d thought his speedy climax was humiliating. “I find myself…sensitive where you’re concerned. I…”

“You do it for me too, you idiot.”

“I beg your pardon.”

“You’re an idiot.” She shrugged.

“Careful now, I’ve been wanting to put you over my knee ever since you kissed Thor.”

“Chafes you, does it?”

“Do _not_ play that game with me,” he bit off.

“I meant the wanting to spank me part. It’s a bit salty for someone like you.”

He stared and she snickered. “You impertinent little beast.”

Nyx reached over his shoulder and moved several candles out of the way. “What are you doing?”

She slid off his lap and onto her knees. And then she bent over the side of the tub and rested her belly on the ledge. “Giving you what you want.”

“I-.” He couldn’t possibly hit her, but oh, the picture she made. And she knew it. She looked back at him and smiled, wiggling her bottom a little in the process.

“Come on, Loki, you know you want to. Give in to it.” She faced forward again and stretched her arms out in front of her until she found the edge of the platform. She grabbed on to it and turned her face to the side, waiting. He got to his knees behind her and glanced down at his cock. He was hammer hard again. His recovery time was impressive for an Asgardian, at least. He knew for a fact it took his brother an hour. Nyx spoke again, startling him out of his thoughts. “I’ve never let anyone do this to me, just so you know.”

He laid his hands on her and massaged her hips. He wanted to do it, but what if he hurt her? “I might like it, you know. I’m not prissy like you are.”

His palm landed with a loud crack. If she had the nerve to goad him, he had the nerve to follow through. She jumped with the next blow and he saw with satisfaction that he’d left a palm print on her bare little butt. “Well, darling? Are you finding you enjoy it? Or am I too...what was it? Oh, yes. Prissy. Am I too prissy?” 

Nyx was panting. “Maybe prissy wasn’t the right word.”

“Indeed.” He kept going, but he backed off on the amount of force. “Have you learned your lesson?”

She made an incoherent noise. He dropped his hands to the backs of her thighs and pushed them open. “Nyx?”

“W-what?”

“This isn’t all me, is it?” He had pushed two fingers inside and she was very, very wet. Some of it was from their last session, sure, but the frothing water would have washed most of it away.

“No.” She pushed back on his fingers and hissed. His heart skipped a beat and his cock jerked at the same time. He took his hand from her and grabbed her by the hips.

“We have to move.”

“What? Why?”

He pulled her back into the water and gathered her up, moving swiftly to the steps leading out of the tub. “Because I don’t trust myself not to crack your head open on the stonework.” He carried her down the hall, both of them soaking and slippery wet, but he wasn’t about to stop for towels. He dropped her in the middle of the large bed, rolled her onto her stomach and jerked her hips up. He was behind her in a flash, and then he filled her from behind. Her breath caught; she was right on the edge, and on instinct he pulled out, gave her bottom a light smack, and then pushed in hard. 

She sobbed his name and he did it one more time, and then he reached underneath for her clit and she came. This time, though, he was nowhere near done with her.

He took her hard through her orgasm and then he slowed his pace and just enjoyed watching his cock slide in and out for awhile. She fell onto her belly and whimpered into the mattress after a few minutes. Loki disengaged long enough to turn her onto her back. Her thighs parted with a gentle nudge he guided himself back inside. 

They both sighed with pleasure, and Nyx wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his neck. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and started to move again, but slowly this time.


	14. Guests of Honor

CHAPTER 14

She opened her eyes to find Loki wrapped around her and sleeping peacefully. His hair had dried and had a bit of curl to it. There was a lock hanging in his face and she reached up slowly to brush it back, not wanting to wake him yet. His arms tightened around her and she thought she’d blown it, but his breathing remained slow and deep.

She looked at the opulent suite through the open bedchamber door—it had a swimming pool in the center, of all things--and back at the prince whose body cradled hers. All of it was dreamlike. She didn’t visit palaces and sleep with royalty. She worked where she could and stayed on the move. Or she had, until Caden got ahold of her.

She didn’t want to think about him now. This time she had with Loki wasn’t going to last forever. She didn’t know how it had become so intense so fast, but she was falling hard and didn’t care that there was going to be pain at the end. Probably a lot of it.

Her stomach interrupted again and she sighed. She didn’t want to get up to eat, but she’d skipped breakfast and it was now well into the afternoon. Loki’s hand smoothed over her hair and she looked up to find him watching her through half open eyes. “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”

He gave a slight shake of his head as though the question was silly and untangled their limbs. “Stay there,” was all he said, and then he was up and had pants on. She watched him cross the room to the terrace and disappear. He was back a couple of minutes later with a tray that he put down on the bed. “There’s quite a selection out there. I tried to choose things you might actually eat.”

“What do you mean?”

His look was pointed. “It took me five minutes to realize your taste in food lacks adventure. If Nyx doesn’t recognize it, Nyx doesn’t eat it.” He climbed back onto the bed with her and pulled the tray closer. “Here.”

She took the apple he handed her and bit into it. So he’d figured out she wouldn’t eat anything weird, so what? 

They worked their way through the food and wine and when they were done, Loki waved the tray away. The meal had made her sleepy and she tried to stifle a yawn unsuccessfully. She curled up next to him only to realize he still had pants on, but she didn’t have the energy to complain so she tugged at them halfheartedly. 

“Do you have a request, Nyx?” She could hear amusement in his voice and scowled, but she was half asleep already.

#

Loki was sprawled out on a chaise with a book when the servant that had been helping Nyx walked out, curtsied, and then took her leave. He put the book aside and waited. The sky outside was darkening rapidly and they would soon need to leave for the feast. 

She came through the doorway a moment later dressed in a green gown that would perfectly match his cape. “My mother has outdone herself.”

“Does she do this for you a lot?”

“I’m sorry?”

“There was an abundance of green dresses to choose from.”

“My darling Nyx, you sound a bit jealous.” And wasn’t that something.

“Sorry. It’s none of my business.” Her brows were pulled in and the corners of her mouth tight. He unfolded himself from the chaise and went to her.

“My mother has never done this for me before. I do not chase the maidens of the palace; they all prefer my brother.”

Her face could only be described as unbelieving. “It’s true,” he insisted.

“I may never understand Asgardians.”

Loki ran his hand down her back. No corset again. Mother hadn’t realized she had a penchant for going without proper underthings, he was sure. “There’s only one you need to concern yourself with.” He bent to brush his lips across hers. “Shall we?”

He crossed to the hook where the rest of his attire hung and slipped into the final piece. Nyx came up behind him and straightened his cape. Such a simple act, but the feeling it gave him was anything but. He turned and held his arm for her and she took it as though they had done this a thousand times.

Out in the hall they were met with glowing smiles and greetings from the servants. “The staff here is truly impressive,” he remarked.

“They seem a little less formal.”

“Alfheim in general is less formal.”

Loki led her through a maze of halls. When they arrived at the feast they were stopped at the door and announced by the guard as Alfheim’s guests of honor. There was a huge round of applause as they made their way down the main aisle leading to their places at the banquet table. “What were you saying about Alfheim being less formal?” she asked, all innocence.

He used a bit of magic to obscure the view and swatted her behind. Nyx’s eyes got wide and she yelped. Two members of the royal family--both men, of course--tripped over themselves coming to her aid.

“Lady Nyx, do you require assistance?” one of them said, bowing. The other reached for her hand.

“She lost her footing, my friends, but never fear. I have her well in hand.” He bowed slightly so as not to be rude and then brushed past.

Nyx pinched him as hard as she could and Loki had to stifle a laugh.

“Good evening, Prince Loki and Nyx of Midgard,” Frey said when they took their seats to his right.

“Good evening, Frey. You spoil us, I must say.”

“It was my wish that you be pleased. How are your guest chambers? Was everything to your liking?”

“Very much so. Nyx had never before seen a pool inside a residence. She was delighted.” He looked to her. “Weren’t you?”

Nyx blushed as he’d thought she would. “Yes. Thank you,” she said to Frey. He smiled warmly in return, clearly satisfied.

The first course was served along with copious amounts of wine. Loki directed the conversation away from Nyx and Midgard as well as he could, but several of the elves asked her questions. She did some outright lying at that point and Loki had to admit he was impressed. She didn’t give too many details or too few, and some of it, he thought, she was making up as she went along. He hoped no one at the table had spent much time on Midgard.

The second course was uneventful and the topic of conversation turned to weather spells, which was far more interesting. He’d never worked that kind of magic but it intrigued him. When the plates were cleared he held Nyx’s hand under the table. He hoped she wasn’t uncomfortable with the furtive glances constantly coming her way. She seemed to be enjoying their surroundings, at least. Frey had gone all out on the feast and the hall’s decorations. There were ice sculptures and fountains, flower arrangements and twinkling lights. The center of the hall was cleared for dancing and there was comfortable seating all around, while a small orchestra played at the back unobtrusively. 

They went through eight more courses before the serving of food finally ceased. Nyx had barely touched hers since the third and he’d stopped at five. The chalices were all under enchantment and he’d lost track of how much wine they’d both had by the end. He was slightly intoxicated himself and could only imagine what effect all the wine would have on her. He looked around the table and saw that several of the elves and Frey were also experiencing the effects of so much alcohol. The upside was that the atmosphere had become far more casual. He pulled Nyx’s chair closer to his and draped an arm around her. “How are you, sweet?”

“Little bit drunk,” she whispered.

“Me too. I lose count with chalices that refill themselves.”

Frey stood and the music stopped with the exception of a drum beat. He held his arms aloft and said, “My guests, my family, my friends. It is time to dance.” The orchestra exploded into song, much louder than they’d been playing. Loki didn’t have to look to know there were several pairs of eyes trained on them.

“They want us to dance first. Can you?” He couldn’t believe it had slipped his mind to ask beforehand. 

“If you lead, I can follow.”

He stood with a smile and held his hand out. They made their way to the dance floor, and Loki pulled Nyx in close. She followed him with ease and halfway through the dance he lifted her off the ground without missing a step and kissed her. The elves clapped and whistled and cheered. When the dance ended, they were joined by several couples and even a few lone elves. The floor filled up quickly.

When the third dance began, he received the tap on his shoulder he’d known was coming. It was Frey wanting to dance with Nyx. Loki gave her a small squeeze and stepped back, only to be pounced on by Alrek’s younger sister, Evja. He had no choice but to oblige. “Evja, you look ravishing.”

Her smile was so wide he could see all of her teeth. “Thank you, Prince Loki. Your Nyx of Midgard is so beautiful. Would she be angry if I made my hair like hers?”

He was reminded of how young Evja was yet. She was really just a sweet child in a woman’s body. “I do not think so, but I can ask her if you’d like.”

Evja nodded her head vigorously and he laughed as he swept her around the dance floor. He checked on Nyx out of the corner of his eye and saw that Frey was keeping a polite distance. He dwarfed Nyx, though. Loki did as well, though he was leaner of body and it was less pronounced. Frey was a man of bulging biceps and had shoulders wider than Thor’s. 

When the dance ended, partners were changed yet again and Alrek went for Nyx while the old Finna stepped in on him and Evja. “Finna, to what do I owe the honor?” He felt the power in the old woman when he took her hand and placed his other lightly on her back. 

She ignored the question and made a comment about how well suited him and Nyx were. He said something polite and noncommittal in return. Finna, he thought, was digging for something. She made small talk and skillfully included questions about Nyx between asking after Frigga and Thor, his father, what kind of magic he’d been toying with. She was smooth, but she wasn’t fooling him. 

And maybe wasn’t trying to. When the song was near its end, she said, “I fear being rude, but I’m very curious about something.”

“Oh?”

“Your love, she has magic?”

And just like that he was trapped. The old elf had obviously detected something Loki himself was unaware of. He considered and discarded his reply options rapidly. “Finna-.”

“I am intruding. My apologies, Prince-.”

“No, it’s just that Nyx hasn’t mentioned it to me. And I’ve never felt the spark in her.”

“Neither did I, in truth. But there was something there when I touched her.” Finna made a face and shrugged. “Midgard had magic at one time. She’s probably got a trace of power in her blood and doesn’t even know it.”

“Yes, that must be it.”

Finna patted his arm. “Do not fret. Would you like to know what else I felt standing so close to you both?”

He inclined his head and turned her, and caught sight of Alrek whirling and dipping Nyx around in great circles. “Of course I would.”

“You are two halves. A perfectly matched set.”

Startled, he looked away from the spectacle of Alrek and Nyx dancing. “I beg your pardon?”

Finna’s laugh reminded him of wind chimes. “Too dramatic? Ah, well, you know how we light elves are. I simply mean that you have chosen wisely, Loki.”

The dance ended and he bowed to Finna and thanked her before he tried again for Nyx. Grein got to her, though, and he sighed and turned to the nearest woman. “May I?”

She gave him her hand and the orchestra transitioned into a new, slower song. “I do not believe I’ve had the pleasure,” he said. 

“I am Kata, Prince Loki, and so pleased to have this dance.”

And so it went until it seemed to him that the entire head table had danced with Nyx. He cut them off after what had to be at least two hours of dancing and took her back to the table for a drink. She dropped into her chair and drained her chalice, or tried to. “Remember it refills.”

“Perhaps my lady would like some water?” a servant appeared out of nowhere with an actual glass and a pitcher of water.

“Oh, yes, please,” Nyx said and looked up at the man. He put the glass down and poured, then placed it in her hand instead of leaving it on the table. Loki thought it odd, and even more odd when the server’s fingers touched hers and lingered.

He zapped the bastard. Nyx almost dropped the glass but recovered quickly and said, “Did I do that? Must have been static electricity; I’m so sorry.”

The man’s smile was pained and he hurried away without another word. Nyx drank some of her water and then offered it to him. He declined and continued to look at her, lost in thought.

“Loki? Is something bothering you?” she asked after a bit.

“That server was strange.”

“I thought so too. Thanks for getting rid of him.”

“You knew?”

She laughed. “Yeah.”

The smell of roses became so strong suddenly that he looked around for the source. There was a flower arrangement on the table to the right of Nyx that was changing from a mixed bouquet of roses to moon flowers. “Look,” he said, indicating the large vase.

“Shi-. Uh, wow,” she said quietly, and then downed the rest of her water in one gulp. He took the glass from her and set it down. 

“That mouth of yours, Nyx.” He shook his head.

“Sorry.”

He took her hand and rubbed her wrist with his thumb. “No, you’ve done remarkably well. I shouldn’t criticize.”

There was raucous laughter from a few seats down and they turned to look. Evja was sitting on someone’s lap and Grein had a woman on his too. They were kissing most fervently. Loki grinned at Nyx and gave her wrist a tug. “I do like Alfheim.” She slid onto his lap and he positioned her so that her head was tucked under his chin. They cuddled like that for awhile until Frey came and sat. When he did, Nyx sat up straighter.

“Do not move on my account, my dear, you looked so content.”

“This has been a lovely evening, Frey. I thank you again,” Loki said. Nyx reached for her chalice and sipped some wine. When she’d had enough she put it back and leaned on his chest again. He settled her with one arm and she took Frey’s words to heart and dropped her head. He tucked her in as she’d been before.

“You are most welcome.” He paused. “Would you rather not speak of your future plans this evening?”

He hugged Nyx to him, letting her warmth envelop him. He would never tire of holding her, he thought. It brought him a sense of calm he couldn’t explain and would rather not examine too closely. “I don’t mind. I thought we would travel north as you said. I’d like to wait until the day after tomorrow, however. Or perhaps tomorrow in the late afternoon. I don’t want to set out for a cold climate if Nyx isn’t well rested.”

“Of course. I had thought the same thing, actually. And when you do go, will you want anyone to accompany you? I’m more than happy to send as many or as few as you wish.”

“What do we need to take for supplies?”

“Truthfully very little. There is a cottage that is well maintained and stocked that you can stay in. I would recommend some emergency supplies in case you’re caught in a storm, but as you can teleport, even that is not absolutely necessary. If you need a tent, for example, you could come back and take what you require. You would only have to leave Nyx for a moment.”

“Scattering drains me after awhile, but I’m stronger in places of magic so it shouldn’t be an issue. I’ll probably just take two horses, maybe three, and we’ll go alone if you don’t mind.”

Frey’s lips twitched. He knew damn well why Loki wanted to go alone. “Of course not. Just make sure you use my stables and take the largest of the horses. I insist. Not only will they be able to carry the essentials, they know the way well. They wouldn’t get lost in the worst of storms.”

“That is most generous of you. I-.”

Frey waved him off. “I tire of manners after a bit, don’t you? We’re both thankful. Let’s leave it at that.”

Nyx laughed quietly into his chest. “I believe my lady agrees.”

“Is that so? How refreshing.”


	15. Nyxanya

CHAPTER 15

“Didja know my first name is really Nyxanya?” she chirped.

“Is that right?” Loki said seriously even though he was trying not to laugh. Nyx had slowly but steadily become intoxicated as the evening wore on, and he was now carrying her back to their rooms. The elves were good natured about it and kept asking if there was anything they could do. Of course, half of them were just as drunk as she was.

“Yyyyyep.”

He turned a corner and she resumed playing with his hair. He didn’t even want to know what it looked like at this point because she’d been messing with it off and on since he’d picked her up. She’d also traced his ears, lips, nose, and eyebrows and declared him the prettiest man she’d ever known. He was beyond relieved they weren’t on Asgard. 

At the end of the hall, he took the last set of steps and was almost to their chambers when he was intercepted by a servant wanting to help put Nyx to bed. “That won’t be necessary. Thank you.”

“He can just magic it all off like that,” Nyx said and snapped her fingers. The servant girl tried not to laugh and walked away snorting with the effort. Loki gave Nyx a mock glare.

“What am I to do with you?” He opened their door and stepped through, lighting several candles on his way to the bedchamber. Once there, he put her down on the bed and looked at her. 

“I have a few ideas,” she said, kicking her sandals off and lying back. He kneeled on the mattress and took the hem of her dress and slowly pushed it up. 

“Tsk tsk, Nyxanya. Nothing underneath your dress at all. What a naughty girl you are.” He put his hand between her knees and slowly ran it up between her thighs. “Open for me.”

#

She hadn’t put her boots on since the day Caden hauled her off-world. They were custom made out of black leather, sturdy, and comfortable. Her one extravagance, really. She sat on the edge of the bed she’d been sharing with Loki and pulled them on over her pants. The green tunic she wore came to mid-thigh and was big on her, but she’d have a cloak over it soon enough anyway. 

The boots felt good. Pants felt good. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Asgard’s fancy dresses, but sometimes she missed the simplicity of her regular clothes.

She sat on the chaise Loki preferred and waited. He’d gone to gather supplies and ready the horses. They were going north and would stay at Frey’s cottage for one or two nights, he’d said. He still hadn’t sensed the darkness Frey complained of.

There was a quiet knock at the door signaling a servant. “Come in,” she called, and Nauma entered with a bright smile. She was assigned exclusively to her and Loki and was the one they saw most often. 

“My lady Nyx, I’ve brought you some tea. Prince Loki thought you might like it.”

Prince Loki knew she was dehydrated from getting drunk the night before was more like it. He thought of everything. “Thank you, Nauma.”

The girl put the tray down on the table next to her and poured the tea. “Anything else for you?”

“No, thank you, Nauma.”

She didn’t try the tea until Nauma left. The elves didn’t seem overly sensitive, but why risk it? She’d once been on a world where it was a huge insult if you didn’t finish a poured drink. And the drinks there were disgusting, of course.

The temperature was perfect and the tea delicious. She had two cups while she waited, and paged through the book Loki had left lying there. None of it made sense to her, but it was a spell book of some kind.

“Learning some new skills?” he said, and she jumped.

“Loki!”

He grinned and walked over to sit on the side of the chaise. “Your apparel is interesting. Did Mother choose it as well?”

She shook her head, heart still thumping from the shock of him just appearing. She hadn’t realized he teleported until the night before when Frey mentioned it. He’d appeared in her room before, but she’d thought he’d just snuck up on her. “I asked if I could bring a pair of pants for traveling. She picked the shirt.”

“Ah.” He looked her over slowly. “Probably wise. Are you ready to set out?”

“Yes.”

He leaned over and kissed her. They didn’t separate again for a good five minutes. “You liked the tea then.” He stood and scooped her up with him. She tilted her head to look him in the eye.

“How did you know? Don’t tell me you can turn yourself invisible too.”

He laughed. “I could taste it in your mouth.”

#

The horses they were taking were enormous. And to think she’d been planning to ask if she could try riding on her own. Loki lifted her onto the black one and she swung her leg over properly for once. He finished tying their gear to the other two and then mounted up behind her. “Are you comfortable?” he said into her ear. 

“Yes.”

“I thought you were going to ask to ride by yourself.”

She twisted around to look at him. “I was thinking about it until I saw how gigantic the horses were.”

They moved forward out of the stable and the other two horses followed when he signaled them. “Tired of riding with me already?”

There was a note of disappointment in his voice, she thought. She leaned back against his chest and rubbed the arm that was locked around her waist. “No, never. But Lady Sif was laughing at me yesterday.”

He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “I’ll teach you. As soon as we get back.”

They picked up the pace and rode fairly hard for most of the morning. If she got sore, Loki could just fix it anyway. He kept checking in on her, though. 

It was hard to believe they would cross over into snow soon. The weather so far had been warm and sunny. She was perfectly comfortable in the clothes she had on, especially with Loki at her back. He said it would be a short transition from warm to cold, though. That was how Alfheim was. 

He slowed them to a walk in a heavily wooded area with a stream just ahead. “I’m going to rest the horses for awhile. We can have lunch if you’re hungry.”

She wasn’t. They’d had a huge breakfast. “I’m not, but I can get you something out if you want?”

“No. I’m fine.” He dismounted and reached up for her. She went to him and was set down with painstaking gentleness. “You aren’t used to riding. Are you very sore?”

She walked around a little before she answered. “I’m okay.” She used to ride two and three wheel vehicles regularly. Horseback was different obviously, but it must use some of the same muscles. “Can I help you with anything?”

He untied a bag and handed it to her. “There’s some basic bedding in there. Why don’t you walk down to that clearing and set us up.” He pointed.

“Okay.” She walked slowly and took in her surroundings and all the strange but beautiful trees and plants. When she got to the clearing she chose a shady spot and unpacked the bag, spreading a blanket on the ground and then topping it off with a pillow. She weighed the empty bag and the corners of the blanket down with some smooth stones she found. There was a strong breeze.

And a moment later, it carried an unfamiliar scent. Nyx whipped around just in time to see something big, black, and sleek lunging at her. She dodged, it rolled, hissed, and they faced off for the nanosecond it took Loki to appear. He charged the animal, it defended, and then it went flying through the air when he threw it. There was a yowl followed by the sound of running. He turned and grabbed her by the arms, looking her up and down. “Are you injured?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks for the rescue, and um, what was that?” She’d never seen anything like it in her life.

“A large cat of some sort.” He ran his hands up and down her body, evidently looking for damage. 

“What’s a cat?”

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her. _Shit._ Did they have cats on Midgard? She’d been planning to level with him soon anyway, but….

“Forgive me, I keep forgetting you aren’t familiar with these realms. A cat is a predatory mammal with sharp teeth and claws.” He paused. “You’re certain you’re all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Should we leave the area? Will it come back?”

He pulled his coat off and dropped it to the side of their blanket. “It’s unlikely, but I can throw up a barrier if you’re nervous.”

“Whatever you think is fine with me.”

He took her wrist and pulled her to him. “You mean that, don’t you?”

“Yeah, of course.” She ran her hands up and down the smooth sides of his leather tunic thoughtfully. “Doesn’t anyone ever trust your judgement?”

She’d struck a nerve. An apology was on the tip of her tongue when he shook it off. “Mother occasionally, I suppose.”

“What about Thor?”

He shrugged. “Nothing is ever simple with us. He may take my advice on a matter, but in the end it’s always about him.”

There were things she wanted to say. It wasn’t her place, however, and she didn’t want to cause trouble between him and his brother. If this thing with her and Loki lasted any period of time, though, she was going to end up butting heads with Thor.


	16. A Gathering Darkness

CHAPTER 16

Loki hadn’t been kidding about it being a short transition. They rode into a wall of cold air. He stopped the horses and wrapped her in a heavy cloak, then put a lighter one on himself. They resumed riding and within a few minutes the light faded and it was snowing so hard it was difficult to see. She stared down at the ground as it passed and saw that the horses were plowing through at least a foot and a half of powder.

He checked on her constantly and tried to be casual about it, but her cold face was obviously worrying him. She gave in after three attempts to put her behind him and rode the rest of the way with her arms around his waist and her head tucked into his back. He was much, much happier with that arrangement.

All of them were tired when they reached the small stable to the right of the cottage. Loki tried to send her inside while he cared for the horses, but she flatly refused. “Show me what to do and I’ll help.”

He gave her all the easy jobs. Once the horses were settled, she picked up some of the bags and followed him to the cottage. He lit candles and the large fireplace with a spell, dropped his load of bags and started out the door for the rest. She could see he was exhausted and cut him off. “I’ll get them, Loki.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I can see how tired you are. You’ve been using magic for everything today. It drains you, doesn’t it?”

He ignored her and started for the door. “You do that and it’s really going to piss me off,” she told him. He stopped and looked at her. “You’ve taken care of me all day long. Can’t I take care of you for a little while?”

He threw his arms up and moved away from the door. “Fine, woman, you go.”

She did. When she came back he was sprawled in a large chair by the fire. Nyx pulled off the cloak she was wearing and hung it up on a hook by the door, and then she made fast work of unpacking the bags. The bedchambers were to the back and she put their clothes in the one with the largest bed. 

The kitchen was off the great room and she found it well stocked. She put together a simple dinner and located many bottles of wine and mead, but nothing to open them with. She slid her utility knife out of her boot and made quick work of the cork on one of the meads. Once she found chalices to pour it into, she loaded everything onto a tray and carried it into the great room where she put it down on a low table. 

He was still fully dressed. She kneeled in front of him and reached for a booted foot. “What in the nine are you doing, Nyx?”

“Taking your boots off. How about cooperating?”

He muttered something and let her pull his boots, cloak, and armor off. When she was done, she poured the mead and handed him a chalice. She took a few sips from hers and then started handing him small bites of things to eat. It took awhile, but they finished the tray. “Do you want anything else from the kitchen? I can-.”

“No. I just want you to sit with me.”

She pulled her boots off and put them by the door, then returned to him. Loki wasted no time in pulling her down on his lap. She curled into him and remained quiet, watching the fire. 

When she woke the fire was out and they were both freezing. Loki was still sound asleep, so she wriggled out of his arms and found a blanket to cover him with before she went in search of more wood. There wasn’t any inside, so she pulled her boots and cloak on and slipped outside as quietly as possible. She located the woodshed near the back of the cottage and loaded a large canvas bag she found inside with as much as it would hold. 

It was a testament to Loki’s fatigue that he didn’t wake up once during her three trips outside. She stocked them up with wood, checked on the horses, and cleared their dinner. She stood looking at him for a minute before she made one final trip outside.

The wind and snow attacked her already cold face, but truthfully she barely felt it. She walked behind the cottage, which was situated on the crest of a steep incline, and looked out. 

A gathering darkness was one way of putting it. To Nyx, it felt like energy. The really bad kind.


	17. An Old Prophecy

CHAPTER 17

He woke to near total darkness. Nyx was kneeling in front of the chair, gently rubbing his legs and calling to him. “Loki, wake up.”

“What is it, darling? What’s the matter?”

“It’s late. Come to bed with me.”

He shook his head to try and clear it. How long had he been asleep for? The fire was out and it was cold. Was she cold? She had to be. He was. “It...I’ll get wood for the fire.”

“No. Just come to bed. I put a bunch of blankets on it for us.”

He heaved himself out of the chair. He’d pushed his limits that day, and much too hard. When the snow was relentless he’d used a spell for lighting, another to navigate with, and he’d fought to keep some form of protection around Nyx all day long. And that was on top of all the minor spells he used throughout a day without even thinking about them. He’d teleported a bunch of times that morning too, actually. That had been a tactical error he wouldn’t be repeating anytime soon. 

He put an arm around Nyx as much for balance as for affection. If she noticed she didn’t say anything. When they reached the bedchamber all he wanted was to fall face down on the mattress, but he stood patiently while she tugged and untied and got him free of his clothing. When she was done she drew the covers back and he climbed in. His eyes stayed open long enough to watch her hastily disrobe and he caught her hand when she started for the other side of the bed. “Just get in here.”

“There’s no room. I’ll get in on the other side.”

He pulled her down on top of him instead of arguing. Her flesh was chilly and he pulled the blankets tightly around them. “Warm faster this way,” he mumbled.

“Aren’t I heavy, though?”

He snorted. It was the best he could do.

#

When he woke again, light seeped in through the heavy curtains and he was much too warm. Nyx was asleep on his chest, his cock was stiff to the point of pain, and thanks to being on Alfheim, his powers were half restored already. He was at least done with the crushing fatigue.

He pulled the blankets down and left them wrapped in a sheet and each other’s warmth. The air was crisp and he considered getting up to restart the fire, but the idea of putting pants on to go outside for wood was extremely unappealing. Especially when he had a naked Nyx on top of him. Her legs were shut and between his and he moved to reverse that state of affairs, but he woke her up in the process.

“Mmm. What?” she said, yawning.

He rolled her and put his mouth to good use, licking and sucking just enough to get her wet. When he crawled back up her body, she dug her knees into his sides and rolled on top again. She’d caught him completely off guard, but if she wanted to be on top…

All thought ceased when she slid down and kissed his cock. He felt her breasts drag over his stomach and then her tongue touched the very tip and swirled. She went from there down his length, flattened her tongue at the base and licked her way up, and then she opened her mouth over him and slowly took him all the way to the back of her throat. “Fuck!”

She sucked him expertly. The pressure was perfect, the rhythm was perfect, and she used her teeth to great effect. He was almost in tears with pleasure. He forced his eyes open, looked down at her and snapped them shut again. He couldn’t look, not this first time, not when she looked blissful. Her lips were too pretty wrapped around him like that, and she was taking all of it. How he didn’t know. He’d paid for this and gagged the most expensive woman in the place.

That thought didn’t belong in bed with Nyx, so he shoved it out of his mind. He shoved everything out of his mind until nothing existed but the two of them. He tried to pet her hair, to love her back in some small way, but his hands shook so badly it embarrassed him. He dug into the mattress instead and his balls tightened a few moments later. “Nyx,” he choked, grabbing at her again in a desperate attempt to warn her.

She ignored him and went faster, harder. He bucked into her mouth helplessly and came in waves, moaning and squirting until he was spent. He’d just dropped his hips back to the mattress when she swallowed and slowly dragged her lips up to release him. He caught her by the hair and gently tugged until she was back in his arms.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes, but then he felt goosebumps on her arms. He shifted her to the side and pulled the blankets up around her. “Stay in bed. I’ll get some wood and start the fire back up.”

“Don’t go. It’s not that cold-.”

“It’s freezing in here. I won’t be long.”

She sighed. “I brought wood in last night. Just go light it and come back, okay?”

He stopped in the middle of pulling his pants on. “You did what?”

“I went and got wood last night. It was no big deal.”

He jerked his pants up and walked out of the bedchamber without bothering to fasten them. Sure enough, there was a pile of wood stacked neatly to one side. She’d obviously made more than one trip. He reloaded and lit the fire, and then went to the kitchen. He found some tea and used a negligible amount of power to heat the kettle. While he waited for it to steep, he drank some water and looked around. 

There was a strange looking dagger on the counter and a cork lying next to it, cut precisely in a cross pattern three quarters of the way down and pried out in one piece. He picked up the dagger and examined it, finding strange markings on the handle.

When the tea was ready he carried it back to bed. He’d ask her about the dagger later. “I made you some tea,” he told her, and she sat up and took the mug.

“Thank you.” She smiled up at him. He pulled his pants back off and got into bed with her.

“I’m upset you went out into that storm last night. I know you wanted to help, but that was dangerous, Nyx. You aren’t familiar with the realm and I was so tired I might not have heard you if you’d yelled for me.” He lifted his arm and wrapped it around her, then leaned back against the headboard. She wriggled around until she was comfortably situated in the crook of his arm and sipped her tea.

“I...there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Yes?” He stroked her arm, careful to keep his tone neutral and his body relaxed. Everything inside of him tightened with anticipation, though. Was this it, was she going to confide in him?

She was quiet for a moment. She took another sip of tea. “I’m not from Midgard.”

He pressed a kiss to her temple and rested his head against hers briefly. “I know. I’ve been hoping you would come to trust me enough to tell me.”

“You knew? How?”

“Oh, Nyx. You’ve given it away a hundred times.”

She laughed humorlessly. “And here I’ve been worrying about keeping it from you.”

That was interesting. “In what way?”

“I wanted to tell you before we...before the waterfall. I tried to warn you about Caden, but you wouldn’t listen. And now…” Her voice caught and she paused. “Now it just feels wrong. Like I’m lying to the one person that has a right to know.”

He didn’t allow himself to think. He just took a breath and started talking. “Perhaps I should confess as well. Thor suspected and came to me. That first night at dinner? Entirely orchestrated. And I went to my parents and told them I thought Caden was abusing you sexually.”

She went still. “You what?”

He squeezed his eyes shut. It had come out so badly. “Please believe me, it ceased being a quest for information before the end of dinner. I was so worried he was going to hurt you that I couldn’t sleep that night and rushed to breakfast the next morning.”

She leaned over him to set her mug aside. He was encouraged when she went right back to her spot under his arm. “If it ceased being a quest for information, does that mean you don’t want to know?”

“No. I still want to know, and I’ve been talking to Thor regularly. It’s just secondary now. I want to know what Caden has on you and why it’s so bad you’d consider going off the bridge.”

Nyx turned her head to the side and looked up at him. Whatever it was, he thought, it burdened her. “Tell me. Please.”

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We’re from a cluster of worlds outside of the nine realms. I think you call it the void?”

“Yes.”

“Our worlds have been at war for years. We’re home to a lot of different races, and practically all of them have thought they should be in charge at one time or another.” She made a face and started to reach over him for her tea, so he picked it up and handed it to her. “Thanks.”

He rubbed her arm and waited for her to continue. She took a sip of tea and drew her knees in close to her body. “One of them, the nilliths, got a foothold while everyone else was busy fighting over what to do about them, and it’s been a downward spiral into mass destruction ever since. There have been extinctions, even…no one’s seen a human in decades.”

She paused again to drink and his mind raced ahead. “Humans are from your worlds?”

“Or we’re from theirs. Who knows, really. I’ve been trying to figure out why we’re cut off from the nine and if it’ll last. It doesn’t seem likely to me.”

He jerked back in surprise. “But it’s the void, and it’s…vast. My father would know-.”

“He does know,” she said. His stare must have unnerved her, because she looked away. “I’m sorry.”

“Tell me all of it, Nyx. Please-.”

“There’s an old prophecy that a darkling will rise and restore the balance of power. And thanks to that prophecy, the nilliths wiped them out first. They were thought to be extinct until a few years ago when it was discovered some of them abandoned infants on other worlds.”

A ball of ice formed in his stomach. “You have no family.”

“Why am I not surprised you put it together in a nanosecond?”

“Is it you?” He tried and failed to keep the dread out of his tone.

Nyx looked up at him. “Caden and his little halfwits certainly think so, and that’s the long and short of why I’m with him. Hiding has become just about impossible, but I run every chance I get. Screw him and his ridiculous plans.”

Loki grasped the back of her head and searched her face. “You don’t know, do you? If it’s you? And what plans does he have?” He fired the first of a hundred questions at her in the order they occurred to him. “Is that what he is, a darkling? What does that mean-.”

Nyx pressed down on his wrist. “You’re pulling my hair.”

He released his fingers instantly and winced. “I’m sorry, I just-.”

“I know.” She let out a breath. “And to answer your question, no, I don’t know. Caden got into my school records and is basing his theory on my grades, my age, and the fact that I’m still alive. It’s a house of cards. He just won’t give up on turning me, though.”

“Turning you?”

“Most of them come into power in their late teens or early twenties. The abilities vary, but there’s one constant: they’re immune to nillith magic.”

He sat up straighter. “Magic? What kind of magic?”

“Different kinds, but the ones to be afraid of are the drains. They can suck power out of just about anything, and in most cases, keep it for themselves. And if that’s not bad enough, they pass those powers on when they reproduce.”

“So…what? They just keep getting more and more powerful?” He took her empty mug and set it aside.

“Yes. And Caden’s set on stopping them.” She rolled her eyes, and it would have been comical under different circumstances.

“You said his plans are ridiculous.” 

Nyx made a sound of acknowledgement and curled into his side, her chilly skin a shock against his torso. “And do tell me when you’re cold.” He pulled her across his lap and wrapped a blanket tightly around her shoulders. 

“He’s got a few hundred darklings, most of them mixed race like him, and he’s going to fight an army that numbers in the millions? Even with the vampires on board, it’s a lost cause. There’s no way to win it.”

_“Vampires?”_

“Yeah.” She twisted around to look at him. “Why?”

“They’re mythical. Legends from Mid-.” He stopped. “They exist? Truly?”

“Yes.” She paused. “I could be one, even. It’s unlikely, but possible.”

He was good at taking in and processing a lot of information quickly, at least. “Why is it unlikely? And wouldn’t you know? I mean, don’t you have to drink blood?”

She smiled fleetingly. “It’s unlikely because they have low birth rates and male vampires are possessive. Still, some of the women manage to conceal a pregnancy and drop-offs aren’t-or weren’t, I should say-hard to find.” She held her hand up before he could pepper her with more questions. “A drop-off is a place to turn in an unwanted child.”

“But how can you not know if you’re a vampire?”

“They don’t need blood to survive. It just makes them stronger and gives them an edge if regular food is scarce. Some of them never drink it because they do tend to develop a taste, and though it’s rare, addiction can be an issue.”

“Aren’t you curious?”

“No. A lot of them are light sensitive from the first drink on, and pointy teeth and cloaking aren’t enough of an incentive.”

“Cloaking?”

“It’s kind of like being invisible, but they actually just blend in like those lizards. Do you have them? They can change colors.”

“We call them chameleons…you truly don’t know what race you’re of? Doesn’t it bother you?”

“It seems to be bothering you,” she said, and started to move off his lap. Loki clamped down on her thigh. 

“Please don’t. I’m only trying to understand, Nyx.”

“Okay,” she said slowly, drawing the word out on her tongue. “Well, if you want to go by numbers, I’m probably some kind of shifter. They’re the most common race by a landslide and the canines reproduce fast and often. Furthermore, they kill or dump the crossbreeds because they generally can’t shift and aren’t useful to the packs. Ninety percent of the drop-offs on all of the worlds are shifters.” She looked him in the eye. “You see why I think Caden’s reaching?”

She made a good argument for it, but with no solid proof how could they be sure. “Yet he has found these darklings, yes?”

She sighed. “Yes.”

“So school marks, age, and survival. Those are his criteria?”

“As far as I know. Most of them had already turned though, so he just scooped them up.”

“What’s the significance of the grades? Intelligence?”

“Yes.”

“So you did well in school.”

“Uh-huh. And so did a lot of my friends. Shifters aren’t stupid.”

He grinned. “You punch holes in his logic at every turn, don’t you?”

She gave him a look. “Well, yes. But you know, none of this really matters. I’m not fighting for him. He thinks I’ll change my mind if I turn, but he’s wrong. I don’t want any part in it.”

He chewed on the lot of it for a while before asking anything else. “Why did he bring you to Asgard?”

“He probably figured it was a safe place to try and force the change if he knew about Heimdall. I’ve slipped him three times in eight months. But here Heimdall could just find me as long as I was within the nine realms, right?”

“Assuming his cooperation, yes.”

“Your father is supporting him. Caden, I mean. Not without cause, though. Paths have started to open between our worlds and yours.”

“So that’s what Father isn’t telling us. Why, though? Thor is next in line to the throne. He of all people should be kept informed.”

“I came to in the middle of their first meeting, but I seem to recall him saying something about not causing panic.”

“Why were you unconscious in the first place?”

“I jumped off a platform to try and get away, missed my target and hit my head. It wasn’t one of my better plans, but I had to try.”

He kissed the top of her head a couple of times while he thought things over, flipping bits of information and fitting them together.

“Loki?”

“Yes?”

“Are you angry I didn’t tell you sooner? That I’m not from Midgard, and-.”

“No. I only want to find a way out for you.”

She sat bolt upright. “No. Listen to me. You can’t do that. You can’t. Caden is dangerous-.”

“I’m hardly defenseless. You leave him to me from now on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long between updates. I did a lot of wrestling with chapter 17, and I hope it hasn't gone so far off the rails that I lose anyone. _Fallen_ is my first novel length attempt at world building (I've done some original urban fantasy stuff, but mostly flash fic and short stories) and I keep wanting to red pen this sucker into the ground. The problem with that, though, is 100,000 words in the trash again. And I won't get better if I don't keep trying.
> 
> Anyway, here's to hoping it doesn't utterly suck. There was at least some sexy time, right? ;-)
> 
> I'm also posting two more short chapters after this one tonight, so if you've bookmarked it, sorry for the repeat notifications. I wanted to do a longish update to make up for missing the last three.


	18. What Will You Do

CHAPTER 18

They’d argued. She had it in her head that allowing them to form a bond was all part of Caden’s new plan. She was sure he would try to leverage Loki in some way, whether by injuring him or enlisting him she couldn’t guess. He was touched by her concern and unwillingness to have him compromised, but he was also very, very irritated that she doubted his ability to outmaneuver him.

He would crush the bastard if necessary. Nyx wasn’t a fighter, and she’d plainly stated she wanted no part in the war. That was more than enough for him.

He lounged against the counter while she slammed things around the kitchen. She was still angry, but she was losing steam, he thought. He picked up the odd dagger he’d been looking at earlier. “Is this yours?”

She glanced over. “Yes.”

He turned it over and examined the handle. “What are the markings? It looks like text, but I can’t read it.”

“Of course you can’t read it. It’s in Five’s language.”

“We speak the All-Tongue. I can read anything.”

“Well, apparently All-Tongue doesn’t translate Five.”

Exasperated, he stopped playing with the dagger and pinned her with a look. Nyx had the audacity to smirk at him. “What is Five?”

“The worlds are numbered. I grew up on Five.”

He paced the length of the kitchen. “So, it’s called Five and the language is also called...Five?” He chortled. “Imaginative.”

“It’s mostly ashes now. The nilliths have bombed it repeatedly.” She pulled the kettle off the flame and added hot water to two bowls and stirred. He had no idea what she was making. He went to her and tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

“I’m sorry.”

She kept working, adding cinnamon to the bowls and stirring, but he felt some of the tension leave her. “It’s okay.” After a minute she added, “I’m sorry too.”

“Don’t you have faith in me?” he asked quietly.

She tossed the chunks of apple she’d chopped into the bowls, wiped her hands and turned to face him. Her eyes were suspiciously shiny when she looked up at him, and she clutched the sides of his shirt. “Of course I do, Loki. But have you considered all the variables?”

He brushed her hair back from her face and ran his thumbs over her cheekbones. “Such as?”

“Are you going to use magic against him? He could counterattack. He’s at least half darkling; I’ve no doubt he’s hiding some of his abilities. And what about your father? Odin is more or less an ally now. He supports Caden’s efforts; he was swayed by the prophecy.”

Something about the way she said it gave him pause. “Are you not?”

“I have my doubts. How does one individual turn the tide in a war that’s raging across multiple worlds? Furthermore, it’s years old and could have been changed a hundred times over by now.”

She turned back to the counter and added a spoon to each bowl. “Where do you want to sit?”

#

The fire was going strong enough that he moved his chair back from it. Nyx was taking a bath and while he would have liked to join her, he needed time to think. 

His father was the true obstacle. Caden could be dealt with in many ways, but if Odin believed in the prophecy, and that Nyx had a vital role to play, he wouldn’t be easily persuaded to let her go. Not when there was a threat to the nine realms. 

The most straightforward approach would be to prove that Nyx wasn’t a darkling. How to do that, though? From what she’d told him, the odds were in favor of her being a shifter, but as a hybrid she didn’t have the ability to change form. 

Changing form would be pointless anyway. Even if he only gave her a nudge or found some way to unlock the ability, no one would take that as proof with Loki around. It was his most well known skill.

He needed more information to pursue that angle. Perhaps there was some other vital trait they could use as proof.

The possibility of her being a vampire was lower and not likely to be worth pursuing. Especially since she was unwilling to risk becoming light sensitive. He couldn’t imagine such a thing himself, so he could hardly blame her.

Were there other prospects, he wondered. He also needed to know more about her realms. He would have liked to ask more questions after she gave him the basics, but the telling of it had upset her. Best to give her some time and come back to it later. 

He stood up to stretch his legs and walked over to the window. The storm continued outside with snow so heavy that visibility would be poor on foot let alone on horseback. He turned to check the woodpile. They still had half of what Nyx carried in, but it wouldn’t last all day.

#

She was still in the bath when he finished stocking them with wood and caring for the horses. His hair was wet with melting snow and he’d worked up a sweat that was now cooling on his skin and making him clammy. He peeled his clothes off and went into the bathing chamber to join her. She was propped up against one side of the large bath with her eyes closed. They opened when he entered the room.

“Having quite a soak, aren’t you?”

“If you needed me you could have yelled.”

“You’re still cross with me.” He didn’t bother framing it as a question. It was obvious.

He got in with her anyway, though he took care to keep his distance. Going through the motions of bathing wasn’t much of a distraction because he kept thinking about their last bath together.

“It was never my intention to involve you in this,” she said after a minute.

“I know. But I am involved now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I won’t see you dragged into Caden’s plans against your wishes.”

“I’m not your responsibility, Loki.”

That stung. “I share your bed, do I not?” he snapped.

“That doesn’t mean you have to save me. This is exactly what he wants. He’s going to find some way to play us.”

“I care not what he wants; I care only about your wants. He can try if he likes, but he will never best me. I promise you that.”

“He’s a darkling. You don’t understand what that means-.”

“And I am an Asgardian, Nyx. An Odinson. Perhaps it is you that doesn’t understand.”

She wrapped her arms around herself and hugged. He doubted she knew how vulnerable she looked. “If you need holding, come to me,” he said, but she shook her head and remained where she was.

“What will you do if we go back to Asgard and he’s there waiting to leave? He could be standing on the bridge ready to go, just to see if leaving you will cause enough emotional turmoil to turn me.”

“If my parents are there I will appeal to them to intervene. If not, I will refuse to give you up to him. If he attacks, I’ll defend. He’s not taking you back into a war.”

She held his gaze without blinking. “And if your parents refuse? What then?”

“Fog the bridge for cover and ride out with you. There are other ways off Asgard that don’t require using the Bifrost.”

“And when Heimdall finds us?”

He smirked. “I can get around the gatekeeper.”

She nodded slowly. “You realize the only scenario that doesn’t end with you endangering or screwing up your life for mine is the one where your parents step in? And how likely is that?”

He considered her. She was still sitting there holding herself, only now she looked on the verge of tears. “More so than you might think. Mother likes you and will oppose any action that takes you against your will.”

“But your father is king. And he’s gone along with it from the start.”

“That was before he found out Caden’s been raping you. That he lied about the prophecy. It was before the light elves assumed you were to be a princess of Asgard.” He stopped, choosing his words with a bit more care. “It was before his son came to care for you.”

“You would lie to your father.”

“You thought all of that was a lie?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes, I would lie. Easily. Joyously. Without hesitation.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. Trying to contain tears, he was certain. “Is it so bad that I want to help you, Nyx?”

Her lips trembled and she clapped a hand over her mouth. Her chest heaved with the effort of holding back. “This won’t end well. You don’t know him like I do.”

“Why are you crying?”

“Because you’re going to get hurt and it’s my fault.”

He went to her.


	19. Trust Me

CHAPTER 19

He tucked blankets in around Nyx and quietly left the room. He wasn’t sure he understood her meltdown in its entirety, but maybe it was just an overload of worry. She had quite literally cried herself to sleep.

He tended the fire again and sat down to read. There wasn’t much to do with Nyx asleep, a storm outside, and his magic at half power. He found he couldn’t concentrate on the book, though, and instead sat there thinking about their situation. He hadn’t thought much about how far he was willing to go to protect her until she’d prodded him, but everything he’d said was the truth. He wasn’t letting Caden take her. He _would_ spirit her away if he had to, and lying was hardly a problem for him. 

There was a lot to consider, though. Asgard and the other realms were at risk if paths were opening through the void. It was foolish of his father not to have informed his sons.

Eventually he was able to set it aside and pick up his book. Overthinking wasn’t getting him anywhere.

Nyx appeared in the doorway wrapped in a blanket after a couple of hours. He put the book aside and waited to see what she would do. She held still for some time, just looking at him, and then she crossed the room and stopped in front of him. He reached out with one hand to touch her and she dove into his arms. “I’m sorry,” she said.

He brushed her hair back from her face. “Whatever for?”

“I acted crazy.”

He rubbed her back through the blanket and tried to think of what to say. “It upset you. Telling me, I mean. And then we argued. It’s been a difficult day for you.” He moved his hand to pet her hair. “You need to trust me, though.”

“I do trust you. And I know you won’t make an easy target.”

“But?”

“I can’t help feeling like we’re pieces on a game board making all the predictable moves.”

“We may be. That doesn’t mean that he automatically wins, though, Nyx.” He waited a moment before adding, “I’ve been thinking through some of the possible solutions and I keep coming back to what you said to me that night you ran out onto the bridge. You said Caden wanted something from you. That you thought he would give up if he didn’t get it.”

“Yes, so?”

He smiled slightly. “It’s not a bad strategy. What if we take it a step further?”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“If you aren’t a darkling, you’re useless to him, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then we prove you aren’t.”

“How?”

He ran a thumb along her pouty bottom lip. “I assume if you could shift, you would? And drinking blood is out of the question, yes?”

She settled back against his chest and the blanket slipped, revealing the top of one perfect breast. His fingers skipped along her throat and down, barely skimming her skin. She shivered.

“Yes.”

“And how does one force a darkling to turn?”

“Emotional disturbance. Physical pain. Duress, basically.”

He smiled. “All things that could be, say, acted out.” He used one finger to draw the blanket down another inch or so. “But I’ll work the other angles too, of course.”

She was quiet and still at first, but then she laid her palm against his chest and rubbed absently. “You’ve given this a lot of thought.”

“It’s a mess of a situation, but it’s not insurmountable.” He cupped the back of her head and kissed her softly. When they parted, he put all of his hope into three words. “Believe in me.”

She looked at him for a long time and then said, “Yes.” 

He kissed her again and carried her to the floor in front of the fire.


	20. A Term of Endearment

CHAPTER 20

The snow was a fine, sparkling powder and the sharp coldness of it seeped into her legs within minutes of being outside. They saw to the horses first, and one of them kept trying to stick his enormous head under her arm. “What does he want?”

“Attention. He likes you.”

She eyed the horse warily and Loki grinned. “Stay out here with them, all right? I’ll take care of the stalls.”

“Afraid I’ll break a fingernail?”

“Well, yes, I’ve grown accustomed to your scratching,” he said over his shoulder on his way back into the stable. Her face heated in spite of the cold.

Two of the horses were taking advantage of their time outside. They walked around the area in front of the cottage investigating everything from the windows to the snow covered statues that stood on either side of the front door. The third was still harassing her. He’d given up sticking his head under her arm and was now nuzzling her hair. She reached a hand out and gave him an awkward pat. He nickered and nudged her, so she did it again and he was right back with the sticking his head under her arm thing. “Don’t you want to run around or something?”

Obviously he didn’t answer. Her feet and legs were going numb in the deep snow, so she started walking around to warm up and the horse followed. They explored the entire front clearing and were on their third loop around when Loki came back outside. He propped one shoulder on the doorframe and stood there watching. When she got closer she realized he was trying not to laugh. “Ha ha, yes, it’s so funny the horse is following me around.”

“He appears quite devoted.”

“Are you finished?”

“With the stalls?” he asked innocently, “yes. Put your friend back and I’ll get the other two.”

When they were done she took his hand and led him past the cottage to the spot she’d visited on their first night. “Can you feel it?”

He looked down at her in surprise. “Yes. How-.”

She tried for casual. “It’s a sensory thing. It’s just a low hum for me.”

“I felt it when I woke up yesterday. It’s stronger back here, though. How did...you came back here the first night, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to throttle you, Nyx. Good and proper.”

She smiled up at him even though he was clearly irritated with her. “Can it wait until we’ve gone back inside? My legs are freezing.”

“Off with you, then. I’ll bring the wood in.”

“Are you-.”

_“Go.”_

She went. Once inside she pulled her boots and pants off and went to stand in front of the fire. Her skin was bright red and stinging from just above the knee all the way to her toes. Loki came in with a load of wood and set it down. He looked at her legs and winced. “Have I not repeatedly told you to say something when you’re cold?”

“It’s not anything to get upset about, mianna.” The word came out of her mouth like she used it all the time. Loki cocked his head and Nyx froze. He hadn’t been able to read Five. He wouldn’t know what she’d said. 

“Mianna?” he repeated it perfectly, accent and all. Of course.

“It’s a...um, it’s just a term of endearment. Like darling.”

“Mmmm. Well, I’m going out for more wood, mianna.”

He left and she danced around in front of the fire as much from embarrassment as from the need to warm herself. How had she fallen like this? In a matter of days. She’d been with Mace for two years and hadn’t once called him her mianna. _Shit._

Loki was back a few minutes later and she’d sat down in front of the fire to rub the pins and needles out of her legs as they warmed. He stacked the wood precisely and then went and removed his boots and left them by the door. When he didn’t come to sit she turned to see where he was, but he’d gone. He moved as quietly, if not more so, than she did.

She rested her head on her knees and looked into the flames. They were leaving to return to Frey’s palace early the next morning and though it wasn’t as luxurious, she would miss the cottage.

He walked in from the kitchen a few minutes later and handed her a mug. He’d made tea for her again. “You’re spoiling me.”

“Don’t tell anyone.” He sat in the chair and stretched his legs out. They were so long that he was able to wedge his cold feet under her butt. She squealed and his lips twitched with amusement.

“So I’m not the only one that got cold out there,” she said unnecessarily. 

“You chill much faster than I, but yes. It’s sub-zero and the snow is deep. My feet are cool.”

“Cool, my ass.”

He sighed. “Language, Nyx. Let’s see if we can’t break you of that dirty mouth.”

“Cool, my buttocks.”

He shook with silent laughter and she sipped her tea. They fell into an easy silence, and Loki eventually picked his book up and started to read.

#

“How are they, Heimdall?” Frigga asked without preamble.

The gatekeeper’s smile was a small one, but she saw it. She was only slightly embarrassed. Loki was, after all, her youngest son and he had never been away for more than a night or two without his brother. And he’d gone to northern Alfheim with no escort or support other than Nyx. 

“Sitting before a fire. Loki reads and Nyx sits at his feet drinking from a mug. They have a well stocked woodpile.”

“They look well then.” She breathed a sigh of relief.

“If I may say so, my queen, they look happy.”

“Do they now?” Odin said from behind her and she spun around.

“I...I was just checking on Loki,” she confessed. “He has not been away for such a time-.”

Her husband came over and placed an arm around her shoulders. “No explanation is necessary, Frigga. I too have been visiting Heimdall for updates.”

“As has Thor,” Heimdall said in a dry tone.

She didn’t know why she hadn’t expected it, especially considering Loki’s disposition. He’d been a handful his entire life. She thought briefly of him as a baby, just learning to crawl. He’d kept her, Odin, his nurses, and every servant on the floor hopping. “Then you know the trip has thus far been entirely successful.”

Her husband’s lips turned up ever so slightly. “I am aware, yes.”

She straightened her shoulders and snapped an invisible wrinkle from her skirt before looking at him again. “Careful, dear, or you’ll have to admit she’s been good for him.”

#

He pushed into her easily for the first time. There was pressure and an incredible fullness, but it was delicious and she hummed with pleasure. Loki smiled down at her and pulled her legs higher so he could go deeper still. “You fit me now. Perfectly.”

She gasped. His strokes were slow and even. “Yes,” she managed to say. She couldn’t think of anything else. He knew the exact angle to use to hit her clit on his downstroke, and he was a terrible tease. He was moving too slowly and gently to get her off, but he was stimulating the little bud just enough to keep her attention focused. “You want me to beg, don’t you?”

“Oh, yes.” His hips snapped harder, just once, and her breath caught. “But not just yet.”

She gave up her mission to leave his skin intact and started clawing at him a short while later. He punished her by closing her legs enough to dampen her pleasure, even though he claimed to love it that she scratched him. “Loki,” she whined.

“Poor darling. Tell me what you want and maybe I’ll give it to you.”

“Harder.”

“Yes?” He gave her one hard stroke. One.

“Faster.”

“Mmm, like this?” He increased the pace for a half dozen strokes and then went back to slow and easy. She thought about crying. “How long do you think I can go like this?” he asked conversationally. His staying power was ridiculous because they’d spent half their time at the cottage in bed. It made his annoyance from their first day on Alfheim seem ridiculous. 

“I don’t know. All night maybe?” She squeezed with her inner muscles as hard as she could and he gasped. _Two can play._ She pinched her nipples until they were hard and sweat broke out across his forehead. He wasn’t going any harder or faster, though. She reached between her legs. “No, Nyx.”

“But-.”

“Tell me. Tell me what you want.”

“Harder.”

“And?”

“Faster.”

He pulled her legs wide and snapped his hips down with enough force to make her bite her lip, and then he pulled back and did it again. And again, and again, with speed that built until he was pounding her into the mattress. She came with a shriek, and he didn’t relent until she went limp and tears leaked from her eyes. He let her legs down and brushed them from her cheeks with his thumbs. “Too rough? Have I hurt you?”

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. He came to her and kissed her softly. Nyx locked her ankles behind his ass and squeezed. He got the message and started to move again, but slowly. “Nyx?”

“Sorry. Just catching my breath.”

He unwound her legs and pulled out. She started to protest, but he turned her onto her side and spooned her, pushing his cock in from behind. She sighed with renewed pleasure, and Loki cuddled her close, holding her breasts and playing with them for awhile, and then sliding a hand down to her pussy. She jumped at the contact. He petted and explored until she started to squirm again. “This is my favorite,” he said. He lifted her leg and pulled it back to rest over his, giving him better access.

“What?”

“Pushing you over the second time.”

She squeaked as one finger circled her clit and then went back and forth over it. He moved away, playing with her labia, leaving nothing unattended, even outlining the skin stretched around his cock where it moved in and out slowly. She squeezed him again and held it for as long as she could. “But you haven’t…” she trailed off, unable to keep talking. He was on her clit with two fingers and he was relentless. “Loki!”

“That’s right, Nyx. Say my name.”

She was happy to. But right then, she wanted him to say hers. She couldn’t hold out, though. Heat spread through her and she tried to curl into a ball, but his arm was locked down on her and she could only move a little. “Loki!”

And then she was there, and it washed through her like a storm and went on until she broke, reduced to crying his name and something to the effect of “come with me.”

He buried his face in her neck and held her so tightly it was difficult to breathe. Sweat slicked them both, and he moved urgently now, making tiny noises every now and then that she knew were involuntary.

When he came it was with a howl, and she felt him shudder in every place he touched her. Finally they fell still, and after a while he brushed her sweat dampened hair back and kissed her shoulder. She put her hand over his where it rested lightly on her breast and closed her eyes.

#

She woke to the sensation of being lifted and tried to throw herself free. “Shhh, it’s just me.”

Loki. She settled and tried to clear her head, but she was still half asleep. He carried her down the hall and into the bath. The hot water felt wonderful on her skin and she curled up on his lap and dropped her head to his shoulder.

“Should I have not bothered you? I woke up and you were shivering. I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m sticky.”

“As am I.”

They sat there for a while just enjoying the warmth. Loki eventually took up a cloth and a bottle of liquid soap; he washed her head to toe and even shampooed her hair. She grinned and grabbed for the soap when he rinsed the last bit of suds away. “Your turn.”

“I can take care of myself.” 

“I didn’t ask if you could take care of yourself. I said it’s your turn. Stand up.”

He raised one eyebrow in that haughty way of his that should have annoyed the shit out of her but didn’t. She let her face fall the tiniest bit, hoping it would look like true disappointment. 

“Do not pout at me.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Well, you’re spoiling my fun.” She scooted back and tucked her knees into her chest and then rested her chin on top.

His sigh was so aggrieved that she almost laughed. He stood up, though. She wasted no time in grabbing the bottle of soap and washcloth. Starting out behind him, she soaped up his legs and worked her way up and around, rubbing up against him every so often. He relaxed after a couple of minutes and was thoroughly enjoying the back rub she gave him if the little sighs and stretches were any indication. 

She gave his front the same amount of attention and he was hard again halfway through. She dropped to her knees and saw to it that he was thoroughly soaped. Loki hissed when she worked him with both hands so of course she counted off a minute and stopped.

His expression was priceless when she washed his hair. That done, she used a pitcher and rinsed him for a good long while, marveling at how the water didn’t hold the soap. It was always clean and always warm. “All done,” she whispered, going up on tiptoe to put her arms around his neck. His length pressed into her belly and he looked down at her, so obviously considering his options. “That wasn’t too terrible, was it?”

“Nyx.”

“Poor Loki. Tell me what you want and maybe I’ll give it to you.” 

“Kneel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I know diddly squat about horses and tried to keep it simple when Nyx was interacting with the one etc. Also, I've made up Five and I'm no Tolkien, so apologies if it's too similar to other languages. I'm a native English speaker and remember tiny amounts of French from studying it in school, but that's it.
> 
> "Mianna" is pronounced Me-ahn-ah, if you're curious. I'm not telling you what it means, though ;-)
> 
> I'm posting 21 today too. I'm sorry if you get multiple notifications...
> 
> Kudos, comments, feedback all appreciated. This is the quietest crowd I've ever written for and I must admit, it's kind of daunting.


	21. Welcome Home

CHAPTER 21

Nyx was not cooperative in the morning. It was his own fault, for he’d kept her up most of the night. He was trying to conserve his power in case they ran into another storm on their way out, so he dressed her himself instead of using a spell or bullying her. When he was done, he let her go back to sleep and he finished cleaning up and packing.

When the horses were ready to go, he woke her up again and tried to get her to eat something. She refused and said something quite rude; he turned his head and coughed to cover his laugh. “Your manners leave much to be desired this morning, Nyxanya,” he scolded.

She ignored him and since she was in the right position anyway, he smacked her bottom before he turned her over and physically pulled her from the bed. “Loki,” she whimpered.

“The horses are outside. You can go back to sleep as soon as we mount up, all right?”

She followed him to the door and stopped before he opened it. Her eyes traced over the great room one final time. “I wish we could just stay here.”

He didn’t know what to say. Did she mean it in the short term, like she wanted to go back to bed, or did she mean something of a more permanent nature? He settled on kissing the top of her head. “We must go.”

It looked to be a clear day, at least, but that could change quickly on Alfheim. He secured the door behind them and walked to where the horses were waiting. “Do you want to ride in front or behind?”

She didn’t answer and so he turned to look at her. Her head was tilted as though she were listening for something behind them. “Nyx? What is it?”

“I don’t know. Something feels off.”

He held his tongue and observed her. She’d said this ability of hers was sensory and that it was a common trait in many of the races native to her realms. She moved away from the door and was remarkably silent as she walked the length of the cottage to its right corner. Her boots didn’t even crunch in the snow, but perhaps that was because it was the lightweight kind that only fell in extremely cold temperatures. Plus she was slight herself. It wasn’t like Thor stomping around and announcing his presence to everyone in the vicinity.

If he hadn’t been watching so intently, he might have missed the way she lifted her nose a fraction of an inch and sniffed the air. “Do you feel anything?” she asked after a minute.

“I can feel Frey’s darkness. Maybe it’s slightly more intense, but I can’t say for sure because I’ve been banking my power and that can make me more sensitive.”

She looked back at him. “Banking your power? What do you mean?”

The horse that was in love with her made an indistinct sound and started in her direction. Loki called him back and got the equine version of a dirty look. “I’ve used only the bare minimum of magic since late morning yesterday. I wanted to be prepared in case we had any trouble getting back to the palace.”

Nyx walked over to where he was waiting. “It’s probably nothing then.”

“Are you sure? Would you like to walk around some more?”

“Maybe a quick circle around the cottage? Will you come with me?”

“Of course.”

They looped all the way around with Nyx slowing at the back of the property. She still felt something wasn’t quite right, but she couldn’t say what it was. “Maybe it’s me that’s off,” she muttered.

Loki put his arm around her. “I should not have kept you up most of the night.”

“You can keep me up anytime you want. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

#

The ride to Frey’s palace was blissfully smooth, though Nyx only managed to sleep for an hour or so. Alrek and Grein both came to the stables upon hearing they’d returned. Nyx was trying to stay upright while Loki untied their gear so that he could hand the horses off. 

“Welcome back,” Grein said by way of greeting. “Is there anything we can do to assist you?”

Loki looked at Nyx. “I would be grateful if someone would take over here. I need to put Nyx to bed. She didn’t get much sleep last night and isn’t feeling like herself.”

“Absolutely. Consider it done,” Alrek said. Both he and his cousin were staring at her. Loki went over and took her elbow.

“Darling, are you feeling ill?” Because she was starting to look it.

“Hmmm? Oh, no. Just tired.”

“Let’s get you inside.” He turned to Alrek one more time. “I should report in to your father, yes?”

“There is no rush. I’ll inform him you’re back. You can find him in the throne room this afternoon or at dinner this evening.”

“Thank you.”

He walked Nyx to their rooms and was met almost immediately by their personal servant. He spoke before she could launch into a formal welcome. “Nauma, how good of you to come so quickly. I wonder if you would assist me for a moment?”

“Of course, Prince Loki, what can I do?”

“Nyx is overtired. I need to get her to bed at once. Would you please run ahead and pull the covers back? Also, she doesn’t like more than one pillow.”

“Right away,” Nauma agreed and hurried off. Loki removed Nyx’s cloak and boots and set them aside, and then he picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. Nauma was waiting by the side of the bed. He put Nyx down and pulled a sheet over her and then removed the rest of her clothes with a quick spell. Her eyelids shut the second her head was on the pillow. He frowned. It seemed excessive to him even after having been up most of the night. He touched her face gently, but she felt perfectly fine. “Prince Loki? Is there anything I might do?”

He glanced at Nauma. “Would you stay with her while I go speak with Frey? She says she doesn’t feel unwell, but I don’t like this.”

“Of course. Would you like me to have a healer come in?”

It wasn’t a bad idea. It wasn’t like it would hurt her. “Let’s see how she is when I get back. If anything changes for the worse, though, send for a healer and for me at once.”

“I will.”

He pulled a chair over next to the bed and was relieved when Nauma sat without another word. He used magic to change into more formal attire and left their guest chambers for the throne room. The sooner he checked in with Frey, the sooner he could get back to Nyx.

#

The throne room was full of light elves. Frey adjourned whatever meeting he was having as soon as Loki walked in and sent everyone out into the hall to wait. “Alrek says our lady Nyx is not faring well. I trust you’ve tucked her into bed?”

Now she was theirs? Was Alfheim planning on keeping her? It would have been amusing if it weren’t also half annoying. If she belonged to anyone, it was him. “Yes, I’ve left her with a kind servant by the name of Nauma.”

“Perhaps a healer should have a look at her. Alfheim’s are among the best the nine has to offer.”

“I thank you, Frey. Nauma also suggested this, and if Nyx is still looking unwell in a couple of hours, I will have her call for someone.”

Frey nodded, and to Loki’s surprise, rose from his throne. “Let us sit at the roundtable. It’s easier to have a conversation there.”

Loki nodded and followed him over. “How was your trip? I heard there was a storm in northern Alfheim shortly after you left.”

“On our way there, yes. It was a bit challenging, but we did fine. Today’s journey went much more smoothly.”

Frey reclined in his chair and stroked his beard thoughtfully. “The cottage was adequate, I hope?”

“More than. Nyx did not wish to leave.” 

“Really? I would think it too rustic for a woman. And you didn’t even take anyone to prepare meals and such for you.”

Loki smiled. “She was quite content.”

“Well if you should ever wish to visit the north again, the cottage is yours for as long as you’d like to stay. It stands empty most of the time.”

“Thank you, Frey. That is most generous.”

They lapsed into a short silence that Loki found odd. It was almost as though Frey was hesitant to bring up the reason for the trip, but that made no sense. He glanced around the throne room and noticed the floor’s enchantment was ominous in a way he’d never seen before. It appeared as a turbulent sea at night with black water that churned in a thick, serpent-like mass. “I sense my timing may be poor-.”

Frey stopped stroking his beard and dropped his hand to the table. “Not at all. Did you feel it?” he asked suddenly, bluntly.

“Yes, I did. I see why you call it a gathering darkness. It’s hard to describe, but it left me feeling unsettled.”

“Precisely. I knew you would be able confirm it.”

#

When his meeting with Frey was over, and they had discussed at length what steps should be taken to monitor the situation, Loki hurried back to check on Nyx. Nauma was still with her, and Nyx was still sleeping. “How is she?”

“She’s barely moved.”

He went and sat on the bed next to her and stroked her back. She was on her side facing away from him, but she woke up after a couple of minutes and moved to her back. “How long have I been asleep?”

“A couple of hours. Nauma says you’ve barely moved.”

She started to sit up, but he gently restrained her. “No, stay put a bit longer.”

She didn’t fight him. And she looked better, he thought. Maybe she was just overtired. Nauma stood up and said, “Perhaps some tea?”

He looked to Nyx. “I’d love some, thank you,” she said.

When they were alone he moved back and swung his legs over so that he was beside her, sitting up against the headboard. She wiggled in closer and was soon under his arm and also sitting up. “Stubborn,” he remarked.

“Guilty. I’m perfectly fine, though. I was just tired.”

He looked down at her and had the feeling she was leaving something unsaid. He also felt it would be unwise to push. So, he changed the subject. “My meeting with Frey was a bit strange.”

“Really? How so?”

#

An enormous crowd of light elves saw them off. Alrek kissed Nyx’s hand about a dozen times and almost got the business end of Loki’s boot in return. 

When they landed in front of Heimdall, all was blissfully quiet. He picked a few stray flower petals off of Nyx and dropped them.

“Welcome home,” the gatekeeper said.

“Thank you, Heimdall.”

“Your parents request a meeting at once, Loki. You will find them in the throne room.”

He kept his sigh to himself. He’d known he would be summoned. They started the long walk down the bridge as no transportation awaited them. Nyx stopped and looked up at him after a couple of minutes. “Why don’t you teleport? I can walk back by myself.”

“Absolutely not.”

She frowned. “I’m not a child, Loki. You don’t have to guard me every minute.”

“I know that. I just don’t want to leave you yet.” _And certainly not on the bridge you almost jumped off of._

She said nothing, but she did stretch up on her toes for a kiss. They resumed their walk and parted at the entrance to the palace. He promised to find her as soon as he could get away, and she let his hand go. He didn’t think he was imagining the sadness in her eyes. Returning to Asgard did feel like an ending of sorts. They’d had a lot of freedom on Alfheim.

He went directly to the throne room and was enveloped in motherly hugs straightaway. “Loki!”

“Greetings, Mother, Father.”

His father grunted in reply and dismissed the guards so that it was just him and his parents. “What do you have to say for yourself, my son?”

That sounded like a trap and he chose his words with care. “I believe I completed the tasks you assigned me, Father. I’ve confirmed the existence of the darkness Frey speaks of, and I took Nyx out for the elves to see as much as I could.”

Odin sat forward on the throne and fixed his one, unblinking eye on him. “Frey sings your praises and the elves are as taken as ever with Nyx. I understand artworks are finding their way into the shops.”

“Artworks?” He kept his expression neutral, but that was unexpected.

“Yes, I’ve been pestering your father to let me go and see them,” his mother added.

He held his tongue. He didn’t know what to say to that. 

Odin kept looking at him and finally spoke again after a couple of minutes. “You’ve done well, Loki. I’m inclined to grant Frey’s request.”

When he was over the shock of getting a compliment, he asked what that was. Frey had apparently asked that Loki continue to monitor the situation along with the elves. “Meaning…?”

“You will visit northern Alfheim once per month unless this situation worsens, in which case we will reevaluate our options. I would like you to keep a record of your visits and impressions.”

“Yes, Father, of course. I am happy to be of assistance in this matter.”

“And what of Nyx?”

Here it was. He was sure of it. “Can you be more specific?”

“Dear-” Frigga began, but she was given the hand. Her lips thinned in irritation.

“Are you not going to ask that she go with you on these trips?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope to get another chapter out by Friday. I keep falling behind schedule and I'd like to get back on track.


	22. Cheap Shots

CHAPTER 22

Caden was lounging on her bed when she returned to her room. She’d been expecting it, really. He was dressed in black leather pants and some type of shirt in the Asgardian style. His skin was waxy and had a grey tint that made his blue eyes stand out more than usual. “Did you have a nice trip to Alfheim?” He grinned at her, displaying perfectly even white teeth. 

“Go fuck yourself.”

He burst out laughing. “I guess you didn’t miss me then.”

She leaned against the doorframe. “I was hoping you’d die.”

“Sorry for your luck. But hey, bright side: I have a surprise for you.”

Nyx looked at a spot over his shoulder and pretended to be bored, but she knew whatever was coming was going to be unpleasant at best. “Oh, don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Getting laid must have worked some of the kinks out. It’s a nice change from all the cowering. Maybe next time I’ll just bend you over and take care of it myself.”

She didn’t react at first. The bottom dropped out of her stomach and she felt like she was falling, but her sense of self-preservation didn’t fail her. “It’s your dick. If you want to risk it, that’s up to you. But I promise you this: if you force yourself on me, you will pay.”

He got up off the bed and walked over to stand in front her. He was too close, invading her space as usual, but instead of grabbing her chin and forcing her head up, he used two fingers and pressed gently. She tilted her face up to him and again tried not to react. “This is getting old, Caden. Are you ever going to take the hint?”

His dimples made a shiver run up her spine. “Be dressed to fight after lunch. I’m taking you out on the training field.”

#

Loki went from one place to the next searching for Thor and it was only when he gave up that he found him. He was outside Loki’s door, apparently having run all over trying to find him as well. He herded him inside. “Brother, I have much to tell-.”

“Caden is bringing Nyx onto the training field this afternoon.”

“For what purpose?”

His brother’s expression was grave. “To fight.”

“No. I won’t allow it.”

Thor paced and accidentally hit a stack of books and sent them flying. Loki righted them without complaint. His mind was racing, trying to puzzle through Caden’s motives when Thor spoke again. “I’ve been trying to think of how to block it, but he’s her guardian.”

“He is no guardian, Thor. He’s taken her by force and holds her against her will. She told me all of it on Alfheim.”

His brother stopped pacing and looked at him. “Truly? You are going to tell me, right?”

“Of course. What time is-.”

“He said he would be at lunch. We should leave now and see if there’s anything to be learned. Do you think you should speak to Mother?”

Loki followed Thor out and they talked on the way, heads bent together. Thor would speak to the Warriors Three and Sif about how to handle Nyx on the field, and Loki would stay close and try to shield her with spells. He was also going to speak with their mother if there was time.

Nyx was already seated with Caden when they arrived. He wanted to pull her away, but there were too many people watching him. Heads turned the moment he entered the dining hall, and his parents were present as well. His father watched him walk the length of the table and was still watching when he took his seat. He caught his mother’s eye and realized a conversation would not be necessary. She clearly knew what was afoot.

Across the table and to the left, Nyx wasn’t even pretending to eat anything. Caden smiled at him, and he had no choice but to ignore him. He glanced at his brother and Thor looked up from where he was deep in quiet conversation with Hogun and winked.

The meal dragged on and the longer it took, the angrier he became. Nyx looked his way once or twice and might have tried to convey something, but Caden never took his eyes off them. She gave up and just stared down at the table. Word must have traveled because the hall was unusually full and at least half those in attendance were looking from him to Nyx to Caden.

Thor waited for a half dozen people to leave before he stood, and the Warriors Three and Sif followed him out. Caden was acting as if he were in no particular hurry, but he too got up after another couple of minutes. He held Nyx’s chair and barely gave her room to stand without brushing up against him.

She was dressed entirely in black and had pants on. Her tunic was far too snug but she appeared to have something on under it. Her breasts were definitely contained. She gave him a halfhearted smile and mouthed what he thought was “I’ll be okay.”

And then they were gone. He got to his feet at once and had only just pushed his chair back in when his mother came to his side. “This is madness. I’m going with you.”

“Father must have approved,” he said through clenched teeth.

“He did. I tried to stop it, Loki.”

They hurried out of the dining hall. “Which field, Mother? Do you know?”

“Back of the west garden.”

There was a small crowd gathered when they arrived, but more and more people came in behind them. Word had indeed spread. From the looks of it, Caden was urging Thor onto the field first and Thor was having none of it.

Caden relented and walked out. He whistled at Nyx in the same manner you would call a dog, and Loki balled his fists at his sides. She stepped onto the field and took her time walking to face him. Her glance down said she was taking stock of the soft soil. They kept it churned on this particular field to soften landings and reduce the number of injuries. Other and more advanced fields had different surfaces.

Caden dropped into a fighting stance and all conversation ceased. There was nothing but an audible gasp from those watching. His brother stormed onto the field. “What manner of combat is this? Surely you don’t intend to fistfight a woman half your size? At least use training swords and shields.”

Caden stood upright again and smiled. “Fear not, Thor. Nyx is fairly skilled in hand-to-hand. You’ll see.”

“But you intend to hit her barehanded?” Thor’s voice boomed and Mjolnir swung gently to and fro, held loosely at his side. Deceptively so, in fact, because Loki could read the desire to engage in every line of his brother’s body.

“Yes. It’s a skill she needs to sharpen. I did discuss it with Odin this morning.”

Thor wasn’t budging. One of their father’s personal guards walked out and had a quiet but heated exchange with his brother. Thor looked over at him with a grim expression and he nodded. He threw everything he had into a protection spell. 

Caden dropped into his fighting stance again once Thor was out of the way. Nyx backed up a step and kept her eyes trained on him. She appeared remarkably calm. He moved in on her and threw the first punch, and she easily dodged.

She outclassed Caden in speed and agility, evading him for a solid ten minutes before he landed a punch. The moment his fist connected her eyes flew to Loki and he knew she’d put it together. He was shielding her from as much of it as he could. The fight intensified and Nyx took a series of hits to her midsection that made his stomach churn. His mother leaned into him and whispered, “You are helping, aren’t you?”

“As much as I can.”

“Can’t Thor call the fight to a halt?”

“I don’t think so. You know that was one of Father’s guards that went onto the field.”

His mother fidgeted and fretted. She got a handful of his shirt and worried it, twisting the material in her hand until her knuckles turned white. “Will she hit him back?”

“I don’t know. I had no idea she would get this far.” He paused, trying not to lose his concentration. “I think she’s trying to wear him down. He’s chasing her all over the place.”

It didn’t last, though. Caden threw Nyx onto the ground after a blow to the side and put a boot down on her throat. Frigga clapped a hand over her mouth in horror and Loki moved forward automatically. Thor was also on the outer edge of the field with his weight forward on one leg like he meant to step in.

Nyx kicked up with both feet, pushed Caden back and then swept his legs out from under him. She was up a second before him, maybe two, and while he was still on his knees she kicked him square in the face. Blood sprayed everywhere, but it didn’t slow him down and he charged again. 

She wasn’t fast enough that time. He took her down and got a hand around her throat, forcing her head into the dirt. She went for his balls and he pulled his knees into his chest but still didn’t let go, instead cranking down on her neck until she started to choke. Red-faced, she shoved the heel of her hand into his injured nose and broke it.

Caden bellowed like an animal and jerked her up onto her knees, and Loki started having trouble maintaining the spell. He looked to his mother and to Thor. “I have to take action. I can’t hold it much longer.”

Nyx took a brutal beating in the end. It was a matter of seconds, but she was left on the ground wheezing and spitting blood. Thor and Loki rushed the field, but the damage had already been done. Their mother went to Nyx and kneeled in the dirt beside her. “This was no honorable fight,” she said, rigid with anger. “And it hardly qualifies as training.”

“I mean no offense, Frigga, but Nyx chose to fight dirty.” He sidestepped Thor and squatted down. “Why did you do that?”

She held an arm around her midsection and glared at him. “I’ll take every cheap shot I can if it means I walk out alive.”

“I wasn’t trying to kill you!” He shoved his arm under his nose and tried to catch some of the blood.

She rolled to her side and coughed up more blood herself. Frigga pulled her arms away from her ribs and started feeling around. Loki didn’t have to ask what she was doing. His mother was trying to heal some of the damage, and he should have been helping her. He couldn’t look at Nyx, though, or he’d lose his composure. Everything he saw was out of the corner of his eye because he was staring at Thor’s shoulder.

“You forced me into this. And if you force me again, I’ll do the same thing.”

“That’s not how sparring works, you stupid little-.”

“That wasn’t sparring and we both know it,” she spat.

Caden stood up and stalked off the field without another word.


	23. Room for Two

CHAPTER 23

Frigga went directly to the throne room and ordered it cleared. Her husband was in the middle of a hearing, but she cared not. He looked her over as the guards and everyone else in attendance scrambled to get out. It wasn’t often their queen showed anything more than mild irritation. “You are angry, dirty, and covered with blood. I think it is safe to assume Caden took it too far.”

“I want him gone.”

“Tell me what happened,” he said in a soothing voice. He sounded as though he were trying to reason with an upset toddler and Frigga pointed a shaking finger at him.

“Do not use that tone with me. You knew this would happen.”

“Knew what would happen? I’m still waiting for an explanation.”

“He beat her with his fists!”

Her husband sat back on the throne and exhaled loudly. “Did she not defend herself at all?”

“She did, but he’s more than twice her size and she angered him. He flew into a rage and we couldn’t get onto the field in time to stop it.”

“Where are they now?”

“Nyx is in the healing room. Caden walked off the field.”

Odin stood and came to her. “Go get yourself cleaned up, my dear. I will speak with him.”

“Speak with him? _Speak with him?_ ”

“He has a higher purpose, Frigga, but I promise you I will not allow this to continue indefinitely. This day was a test. If the girl didn’t turn in her own defense, perhaps she’s not going to.”

So it was planned. She’d suspected, but still, hearing it stated so calmly only incensed her further. “You knew he was going to hurt her.”

Odin sighed. “He said he intended to, but that it would be controlled. He’s running out of time; there’s been an attack on his base and he’s losing ground.”

Frigga turned her back and left the throne room without another word.

#

Nyx tried to hold still while the healers worked on her though lying flat on her back was excruciating. She wished Loki was there, but he’d carried her in, stroked her hair once, and left without saying anything. 

Time passed, she didn’t know how much, and then Frigga arrived. Loki’s mother took her hand and squeezed it. She quizzed the healers on their progress and briefly laid her own hands on Nyx’s ribcage. “I’m sorry you’re in such pain.”

“Not your fault.”

“Where is Loki?”

“He left. He didn’t say where he was going.”

Frigga pulled a chair over and took her hand again. “He’s very upset or he would be here.”

She tried to smile, but she could feel her lips trembling. “He shouldn’t have watched. I wanted to tell him, but I couldn’t get to him.”

“You would be in far worse shape if not for Loki.”

That time she did manage a small smile. “I would have taken fewer risks if he hadn’t been helping, but trust me, the outcome would’ve been the same. Something must have happened; Caden’s upped his game.”

Frigga lowered her voice and glanced around. “His base was attacked.”

“So he’s desperate now. Great.”

“I want to help, Nyx, but I don’t know how. I’ve spoken to my husband and he says he won’t allow this to continue indefinitely. He believes in Caden’s mission, though. There is a threat to the nine realms and he’s always going to put the safety of many above the safety of one.”

“This is so frustrating.” She tried to shift on the table and got what felt like an ice pick in her side. She winced and closed her eyes. _Breathe through the pain._ “His mission is going to fail. If they’ve attacked his base, it’s a matter of time before Thirteen is overrun. One person isn’t going to change that. It’s basic math, and furthermore, I won’t fight for him.”

“He’s sure you’ll change your mind.”

“He’s wrong.”

“You truly believe your realms cannot be saved?”

“It would take a massive army to make a dent, and resources that no one has. Like I said: basic math.”

The door opened and Caden walked in. Her day just kept getting better. Frigga held her hand tightly and didn’t move.

“May I please have a word with Nyx?” he asked.

Frigga looked to her and she nodded. She could have said no and the queen would have sent him away, but that would only put it off. “I’ll be in the next room.”

She let her hand go and closed the door quietly behind her. Nyx looked him over and was pleased to see his nose was swollen, smashed, and caked with dried blood. “I hope it hurts.”

He slumped down in the chair Frigga had vacated. “It does. That was a nice move, by the way, revisiting an injury.”

She couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not so she just kept her mouth shut and tried to think of something other than pain. Her position on the table was growing more uncomfortable by the minute, but moving was pointless. It wasn’t like she could shift onto either side with broken ribs.

“You’re in a lot of pain still?”

She ignored the question, disinclined to volunteer information. “What do you want, Caden?”

“Why do you always have to be so stubborn?” He stood up and reached into his pocket and fished out a small syringe.

“What is that?”

He uncapped it and pushed the plunger down gently to remove the air. “It’s Regen.”

“Where did you get Regen?”

He jabbed her in the neck and delivered the entire syringe. It burned like an inferno and her breath caught at the same time tears gathered in her eyes. She tried to blink them back.

“Don’t hold your breath.” He recapped the syringe and put it back in his pocket. “And to answer your question, I have a small stockpile. We found it in a burned out lab.”

Fatigue came at her like a tidal wave. It wouldn’t be long before she was sucked under. “Why?” she mumbled. She fought against the urge to close her eyes, but it was a lost cause and her eyelids flickered. The last thing she registered was him lifting her head.

#

Loki was pale as milk and had murder in his eyes when he returned to the healing room. Frigga rose from her chair and cut him off before he crossed the threshold. She closed the door quietly and gathered him to her despite his resistance to being held. “Let us not speak inside. Nyx is sleeping, but fitfully.”

“I failed her.”

The distress in her son’s voice was heartbreaking. She rubbed his back and made soothing noises as though he were young again. When he pulled away she took his face in her hands. “You did not-.”

“Yes, I did. I put too much power into the protection spell and it collapsed at the end. I stood there staring at Thor when I should have been helping because I feared I would lose control if I looked at her. I left her alone in her pain, and my pleas to Father were unsuccessful.”

“Oh, Loki. I promise you Nyx does not see things in that light. Her only regret was not getting to you before it happened. She wished to spare you the burden of watching.”

“She isn’t angry with me? At all?” He looked almost offended.

“No, dearest.”

He huffed and turned his back. The very air around him was disturbed. After a minute, he raked his fingers through his hair and began to pace the receiving room. Frigga took a seat on the padded bench that ran the length of one wall. “You went to your father?”

“Yes.”

“So did I.”

He glanced at her and she could see his struggle for control. Damn Odin for not listening. She loved her husband above all else, but he was going to disunite his family if he didn’t relent soon. Loki was quiet for a moment and then he tilted his head to indicate the closed door. “How is she?”

“Hear my entire statement before you react.”

His eyebrows went up and she rushed to get it out. “Caden came and gave her a healing serum of some kind. He said it would make her sleep for several hours and that it would be safe to move her after four.”

“If he thinks I’m letting him anywhere near-.”

“He said he would not object if she slept elsewhere tonight.”

She could see him scheming and thought it best to put him at ease in this. “Loki, the entire palace knows you’re involved with Nyx. Just take her to your chambers in two hours’ time.”

“Thank you, Mother.” He paused. “And what is this healing serum he gave her?”

“He gave it a name I’m afraid I can’t recall, but he said it would repair all of the damage in a matter of hours. She’ll be shaky and tired for a day or two, and he said it’s imperative that she eat and drink properly during this time.” She paused. “I want you to send for me if you need assistance with her.”

He nodded, but his expression was troubled. “Why did he do it?”

“I don’t know. I wondered the same thing. He was behaving strangely, as well...almost like he regretted his actions. When I went back into the room, he’d unknotted her hair and put a pillow under her head.”

“He _what?_ ”

To say her son was displeased would have been an understatement the size of Midgard. She was unable to provide much comfort as she herself did not understand Caden’s actions nor his motive. It was the first time she’d seen him show the slightest bit of compassion. “It has been a most trying day. Why don’t you sit with her and I’ll oversee a quick cleanup in your rooms.”

“My rooms are fine.”

“I’ll just get the sheets changed and have a few of Nyx’s things brought for her. With your consent, that is?”

“What are you up to, Mother?”

Her Loki. Always so perceptive. “Well, I thought I’d have _all_ of her things moved to your chambers. But only if you wish it.”

“Father will hear of it and object, not to mention Caden. Did you know he enters her bedchamber in the middle of the night and abuses her?”

Disgust and rage boiled together in her belly and made a vile soup. “I cannot overrule your father, but I can make his life unpleasant. And Caden...he has forced himself upon her? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“She says not, but I removed bruises from her thighs. And I was there once, unbeknownst to them both. He entered her bedchamber, shoved her, suggested she have relations with me and with Thor to ‘make things interesting’ and then he stood over her until she cried.” He plucked at the fingers of his left hand with his right. “She would have jumped from the bridge if I hadn’t stopped her.”

“Did you tell this to your father?”

Her son dropped his hands to his sides and turned his back. “No. He doesn’t care.”

Frigga got up and went to him. She knew she was ineffective, but she patted his arms and kissed his cheek. “I love you. And I will do all I can.” She moved away and smoothed her dress; her hands needed to be occupied for they desperately wanted to pummel something. “Now, do you want her things in your rooms or no? I can just as easily have them put elsewhere. The decision is entirely yours.”

“My chambers, of course.”

She wondered if he knew how telling that was. How telling it all was. “Send for me if you need anything. I will see to the arrangements at once.”

The door to the healing room was heavy and she put her shoulder to it. There were a few healers as well as several servants loitering in the hall. There was nothing like a little gossip to bring the people together; she hoped her conversation with her son hadn’t been overheard in its entirety. “Asta and Kolla, come with me. Geror, go to the guest hall in the northeast corner and fetch Serra. Bring her to Loki’s chambers at once. Healers, you are to give Loki and Nyx privacy unless he asks for assistance.”

All of them hopped to it and Kolla was at her side in a second. Asta caught up and she told them on the way what their tasks would be. “Now, you know Loki is particular, so take the utmost care with his things and do not pry. I want this done as quickly as possible.”

They turned down the final hall and walked briskly to Loki’s chambers. Once inside she assisted Asta with stripping the bed and was in the process of removing pillow coverings when Thor walked in. “Mother?”

“Yes, dear?”

He shifted from foot to foot and looked around nervously. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t fret, Thor, I have permission from your brother.”

“Oh. Oh, all is well then.” He looked around again and then back to her. She went to the linen closet and took stock of her choices. They were all excellent, of course. Loki paid attention to details. “What is it, Thor?”

“Um, how is Nyx? And why are you changing Loki’s bed?”

She took out a set of bright white bedclothes and handed them off to Asta. “She has several broken ribs and possibly a lung injury. Caden gave her a healing serum that’s supposed to reverse the damage rapidly. I’m changing Loki’s bed because he’ll be bringing her back here in a couple of hours. If your father kicks up a fuss, he will be sorry. And Caden would be wise to avoid your brother, quite frankly.”

Thor’s jaw moved but nothing came out at first. “Just like that? You’re moving her in here?”

“Is it so shocking?”

“Well, can I have a woman move into my chambers as well?”

She pointed a stiff finger at Thor and he backed up a step. “You and I both know Nyx is not just any woman to your brother. And I would ask that you be considerate of his feelings. What happened on the training field today has injured them both. Loki blames himself.”

Thor’s shoulders visibly sagged. “He shouldn’t, but I understand it. If only we had gotten to her faster-.”

“It was not your fault any more than it was his. The blame lies solely with Caden.” She went back to the bed and helped Asta pull the fitted linen down tight over the mattress corners. “What are your plans for the afternoon?”

“I know not. No one is in the mood to train after seeing that.”

“Nyx will need a dressing table. You could go to my storage rooms and select a nice one. Something Loki will approve of.”

Thor snorted but said he would do it. He left a moment later and she went back to work on the bed. The linens were crisp yet smooth, and she ran a hand over the surface to get rid of a stray crease here and there before they added a cotton blanket. Once that was done, the pillows were covered, fluffed, and placed. “Now, carefully straighten the books on his stand there.”

They tidied Loki’s space until Serra arrived. Frigga explained what she wanted to the girl and Asta left with her to start bringing Nyx’s things over. She pulled in two more servants to help Kolla scrub the bath and replace the water, though she was sure it was enchanted anyway. 

That left her to choose where to put Nyx’s clothes, and that decision proved an easy one. Loki’s closet was expertly organized and there was more than enough room in it.


	24. Conserve Your Power, Loki

CHAPTER 24

Two hours had never lasted so long. If only he could bend time. The table she was on wasn’t meant for sleeping, and Nyx flinched every few minutes. He knew nothing of the damn serum, however, and didn’t dare try any spells on her. So he sat there, useless, and held her hand.

When the time finally came that he could move her, he carefully slid his arms underneath her shoulders and legs. He lifted slowly and with great care, watching for signs of distress, but Nyx actually seemed to settle once she was off the table.

Everyone he passed on the way to his rooms pretended not to stare, though he could feel their eyes on his back. The final set of steps was crowded with servants and most had the sense to scramble out of his way. On the landing, he saw Thor and Volstagg just outside his door. He didn’t know what to expect, but as he drew closer he saw both wore nothing more than concern on their faces. “How is she?” Thor asked, walking forward to meet him. Volstagg trailed behind, looking over Thor’s shoulder.

“In some pain, I think. She’s twitchy.” He looked around and noticed that several of the servants were now leaving the hall. “What’s all this?”

“Mother has been rearranging things to her liking.”

“Excuse me?”

“Your rooms have been cleaned to her exact specifications, Nyx’s things brought over and put away, and we just finished moving a hand carved dressing table in. It was about as pleasant as wrestling a greased Bilgesnipe with an arrow in its ass, so you’re welcome.”

“She’s getting ahead of herself. Father will have it all undone in a day,” he said bitterly.

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that, Brother. She’s more angry with him right now than I’ve ever seen her.” Nyx flinched and Thor looked down at her and then back to him. “We won’t keep you any longer.”

They left and he turned to push the door open with his shoulder when it opened from the inside. Two more servants. They curtsied and whispered greetings and then fled. His mother was in the main room and came over to him at once. She looked Nyx over. “Did she wake at all?”

“No.”

“I’ve ordered reduced staff for the hall to keep the noise and commotion down, but there will be someone on duty for you at all times.”

“That’s not necessary, Mother. I can dampen the sound.”

“I know, but this way you don’t have to. Conserve your power, Loki, you never know when you may need it.” She rubbed his arm and looked down at Nyx. “Is there anything I can help with?”

“No, you’ve outdone yourself as it is, and I thank you. I’d like to put her to bed now; this can’t be a comfortable position for her.”

“Of course. I’ll see myself out.”

Frigga left and Loki went into the bedchamber where he spelled her clothes off and put her into bed. It was difficult to tell, but he thought she relaxed somewhat. Her face no longer showed the tension that it had in the healing room.

Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, he noticed the book sitting on his nightstand. It was the one from her room that he’d been unable to read. He picked it up and rubbed the cover, then carefully replaced it and looked around his room. There were several changes, and he didn’t mind one bit as they all had to do with her. From the silk robe draped across the foot of his bed to the clothes he could see hanging in his closet, Nyx was in his space.

He lit a few candles and spotted a dent in the wall next to the bath entrance. Thor, no doubt. He went to it and repaired the damage before entering the bath chamber. There was indeed a large dressing table in the mostly empty anteroom that connected to the bath. Her brush, comb, and a small box of hair ornaments sat neatly on top.

The room was unfit for her, though. The walls were dark and the castoff chair in the corner was masculine compared to the elegant table. If he were permitted to keep her with him for any length of time, that would need to be changed.

The bath chamber itself sparkled, but they’d messed with his water. He redid the spell and set it to swirling rather than still. 

Back at the bedside, he debated what to do next. Undecided, he picked up her dirty clothing and carried it to a basket to be laundered. That left her boots, and they too needed attention. He placed them by the door, but not before he noticed the dagger cleverly tucked into an interior sleeve. It was the same one he’d asked about on Alfheim. He removed it and placed it on top of her journal.

So full of surprises, was Nyx. He would remember her kicking Caden in the face for the rest of his days.

She shifted on the bed and grimaced. He remembered what his mother said about her eating and drinking and realized he had nothing there in the event she woke up. He left her to go out to the hall, and a servant appeared the moment he opened the door. He asked for the necessary items and then closed the door again.

The light had faded into night. He lit the candles in his outer rooms and wandered about while he waited for their servant to return.

A short time later, she did, and he accepted the tray and dismissed her. He carried it into the bedchamber and made room on a table. Nyx moved on the bed again and flinched, so he went to her. He sat down and tried not to jostle her, but as soon as he placed a hand on her head, she turned into his touch and settled. After a few minutes he got up and moved to a chair in the corner. She curled into a ball and started grinding her teeth. He went to the bed again, and again she settled with a touch.

“So it is I that calms you,” he said quietly.

#

His mother came sometime during the night. Fortunately, he’d thought of this possibility beforehand and put a proper nightdress on Nyx and found a pair of loose cotton pants for himself. When she called to him from just outside the bedchamber he woke and told her to come in.

“I woke you. I’m so sorry.”

He rubbed his eyes with his free hand. He was half sitting up with an arm around Nyx. “It’s fine, Mother. I’ve been sleeping on and off for hours.”

Frigga moved to the foot of the bed and he saw that she wore a robe and nightclothes herself. “What are you doing up at this hour?” As if he didn’t know.

“I couldn’t sleep. I kept wondering if you needed anything, and if Nyx had been up yet.”

“No, she hasn’t opened her eyes at all.”

“But she’s resting peacefully?”

“Yes, as long as, ah…”

She looked at him curiously. “As long as what, Loki?”

“As long as I stay with her.”

His mother said nothing at first. She stood there and gazed upon the two of them until he started to wonder if he should have kept his admission to himself. But then she said, “I sensed something the very first night, you know. When you took her to your place at the table.”

He stroked Nyx’s arm and his mother’s eyes followed the movement. “Father warned me not to get attached to her. Thor told me to be careful. I tried, but I think I was lost to her from the start.” He paused. “Have you ever met Finna of Alfheim?”

“The ancient Finna? Yes, of course.”

“I did not realize she was that old.”

“She may be as old as time, Loki. Why do you mention her?”

“Frey had a feast for us on our first night there. I danced with Finna.”

“You did? How lovely.”

“She said Nyx and I are two halves. A perfectly matched set.”

Frigga went very still and then nodded. She gave him the faintest of smiles. “She would know.”

“What is it?”

“I fear what will happen to you both if I cannot convince your father to see reason.”

He tensed. “Has he said something?” He thought about it and added, “Does he know you moved Nyx here?”

“He does know of the move. He did not object, but there was a meeting between him and Caden that I was not asked to attend. I’ve no idea what was said. Other than that, no. He’s been quiet. You and I were not the only ones to voice our complaints this day.”

He sat forward and disturbed Nyx. Cursing himself, he moved back into place and held still while she curled into him again. “Who else? Thor?”

“Thor with the Warriors Three, your father’s guard that enforced his orders, both training instructors that were in attendance, and several bystanders. He was in the throne room being pelted with complaints until well after dinner.”

“I hadn’t considered that anyone else would object. I’m glad they did, though.”

“You saw it only from your own point of view, and it was very personal to you. Step away, though, and it was still a savage beating.”

He nodded and they fell silent. His mother moved away from the foot of the bed and looked his bedchamber over as if she were inspecting her handiwork. Which she was, of course. “So you think she’ll be allowed to stay with me for awhile?”

“I can’t say anything for sure, but I think it’s unlikely to come up again for the next several days.”

“Then I’d like to have the anteroom in my bath chamber made suitable for her.”

His mother’s smile was instant and radiant. “You are asking me to help, yes?”


	25. Remember Your Promise

CHAPTER 25

She didn’t wake for sixteen hours. He knew this because he’d started watching the time after eleven. Her eyes opened and she blinked with obvious confusion at her surroundings. “I’m right here,” he said gently. He didn’t want to startle her. She turned her head as though it were painful.

“Loki?”

“Yes. Right here.” He smiled.

“I...where am I?”

“In my chambers. I brought you from the healing room yesterday.”

“Oh.”

“Are you in pain?”

She frowned. “Not like before. Where am I again?”

“You’re in my bed.” He stroked her head. Her hair had started to mat. They’d cleaned her up as well as they could in the healing room, but there was still some blood and dirt. “You’ve been asleep for several hours. Are you thirsty?”

“Yes.”

He started to get up and she panicked and clutched at his pants. “It’s all right, Nyx. I’ll get you some water and I’ll be right back.”

“Oh.” She dropped her hands. She appeared so lost and confused that he considered sending a copy of himself out to the hall to fetch a servant. He was already halfway up, though, so he just hurried. When he returned, she tried to take the chalice, but her hands shook so badly he had to help her.

He waited until she finished all of the water to set the chalice aside. “Can I check your injuries?”

She looked down at herself. “Where am I hurt?”

“You broke a few ribs yesterday.” He pulled the covers back and reached for the hem on her gown. “I’m going to take this off you, all right?”

“Okay.”

He took it off as carefully as he could. He probably should have used magic, but she was so out of it that he thought it might scare her. A quick feel around her ribcage didn’t elicit any kind of response, so he pressed a little more firmly. “Do you have any pain here?”

“No.” She leaned against him. “How did I get hurt?”

He hesitated and then answered, “On the training field.”

“Oh.” She drew her knees in slowly and bit her bottom lip.

“Where does it hurt, Nyx?”

“My...I’m stiff. My back and my…” She gestured in frustration, upset by her inability to communicate. He put an arm around her.

“Shhhh.” He hesitated to mention Caden by name, so he said, “They gave you a healing serum, and you’ve been asleep for many hours-.”

“Regen. Hurts.”

He wasn’t sure what she was trying to say and didn’t want to make things worse. Was Regen the name of it, or was that another word that didn’t translate? He chose a safer topic. “Do you want to take a bath?”

“Yes.” Her eyes opened wide and he could only guess that a bath sounded wonderful to her. “Yes, please,” she added.

He slid off the bed and picked her up. Once he got her in the bath he set right to work because he had a feeling she might not be awake for long. 

It wasn’t easy. She wasn’t uncooperative, but she couldn’t stand up at all without help. He did as much as he could with her propped up against him, and then he tried to find a position he could wash her hair in. That proved almost impossible, but he eventually got it and just slopped water and shampoo onto the floor because he had to pin her to the side of the bath to keep her upright.

He finished rinsing her, and then scrubbed himself down before exiting the bath. She was indeed starting to nod off on him again. He put her down on a chaise and toweled them both off before putting a fresh gown on her. He had to conjure another pair of pants for himself because he didn’t usually bother with nightclothes.

He took her comb off the dressing table when he passed through the anteroom. He couldn’t quite work out holding her up and seeing to her hair at the same time, so he duplicated himself and sent his copy out to the hall for a handmaiden. His mother was on her way with the same ones from the day before, though. She hurried when she saw him. She knew he was a copy, after all. “What do you need? Is Nyx awake?”

He concentrated on projecting his voice. Visual projection was child’s magic compared to auditory. “Not really. She woke for the first time about an hour ago, but she didn’t last long. She wanted to bathe and I can’t hold her up and see to her hair at the same time.”

“May I come in?”

“Of course, Mother. Please.”

He dissolved and she came straight to the bedchamber. “I thought you were trying to give her a bath?”

“No, I managed that. Flooded the floor a bit, though.”

His mother eyed them, undoubtedly working out the best way to take care of her. “Can I call the servants in?”

“Yes, whatever you want.”

She left and came back with three handmaidens. Two were sent to deal with the floor in the bath chamber. “Now, can you pick her up and sit in that chair?” She pointed. He didn’t question her, just did as he was told and sat with Nyx on his lap. “That should do. Serra, please fetch a towel.”

His mother and Serra made quick work of Nyx’s wet hair. It was towel dried, detangled, and combed out perfectly smooth, all whilst he held her and turned her according to their directions. When it was done he slumped back and pulled her in close.

“Loki, put her back to bed,” his mother admonished.

“Not yet. She was complaining that she was stiff.” He moved his hand along her back, massaging the tight muscles. Nyx sighed and wiggled in. Her head found its place just below his collarbone. She did have her favorite spots.

“And how are her injuries?”

“Healed as far as I can tell, but she’s unsteady and confused. She had difficulty forming sentences and kept asking where she was. I won’t be able to leave her alone at all today. She panicked when I got up to get her some water.”

“The poor thing. I’ll have meals sent in-.”

“I had some things brought yesterday. She’s going to have to wake up again soon to drink more water. She only had a cup.”

“Perhaps we should try now?”

#

The morning was a grueling process of waking Nyx every hour or so for a cup of water. Food was out of the question. She wouldn’t even look at it. Servants came and went, and he was trying to read in spite of all the commotion when Thor called to him from outside the bedchamber. He pulled the top sheet high and tucked it in tightly under her arms before he answered. “Come in, Brother.”

Thor came in and stopped short when saw Nyx sleeping against his chest. He recovered after a few seconds and looked away, taking in the workers. “What’s all this?”

“I’m having the anteroom where you put the dressing table redone for Nyx. Mother is supervising.”

Thor laughed. “And how is that going?”

Frigga stepped out and leveled a look on the oldest. “What are you implying, dearest?”

Thor held his hands up in mock surrender. “That Loki is fortunate you were available, of course.”

“Of course,” she said dryly. She focused her attention on the bed. “Is it time to wake her again?”

Loki looked down and couldn’t resist giving her back a little rub. “I’m going to leave her be awhile longer. She’s had a few cups now.”

Their mother went around Thor and moved to the bedside. She studied Nyx up close for a minute and frowned. “She’s got to eat something soon, Loki.”

“I can’t force her. You saw how she was the last time I woke her up.” Repeating the process every hour had not made her happy.

“And how was that?” Thor asked curiously. Loki and Frigga exchanged glances and Frigga’s lips twitched.

“She was rather displeased with your brother and said some...colorful things.”

Thor looked pointedly at Nyx, who was practically lying on top of Loki. “She doesn’t look displeased.”

“Well, if you want to see it, try waking her up,” he told Thor.

“My queen?” They all turned to see a servant hovering. He’d come from the anteroom in the bath chamber.

“Yes, Galinn, what do you need?”

“The painting is done. If it pleases you, you can inspect the work?”

Frigga excused herself and followed Galinn back out of the room. Thor inched closer, as though he was reluctant to intrude. “It’s fine, Brother. I’d get up, but she rests better if I’m here.”

Thor walked over and stood awkwardly by the bed. He looked over his shoulder. “Have you heard anything from Mother? Anyone?”

“All I’ve heard is that Father got several complaints. And...thank you, Thor.”

“I’ve no need for gratitude. What Caden did was wrong. So wrong that I don’t have the words to describe it; I feared for her life.” He paused. “Though I must admit she did shockingly well until the end.”

“She did, didn’t she?”

Thor glanced over his shoulder again. “No one has seen Caden today. Did you turn him into a pig or something?”

“No. I have no intention of being that courteous.”

“Good.”

Thor left after another few minutes and promised to return if he learned anything new. Furniture arrived for Nyx’s dressing room and he did a quick sound dampening spell while it was carried in and arranged. His mother must have sped the paint drying process for things to have progressed so quickly.

When he could no longer put it off, he started out massaging Nyx’s scalp and worked his way down. “It’s time to wake up again.”

His mother must have heard him because she came in and poured fresh water. She brought it over and sat on the edge of the bed to wait.

“I can take that. You’ve seen to us since this morning-.”

“Am I in the way?”

“No, however-.”

She waved him off. “Then I shall stay awhile longer. My boys don’t let me take care of them much anymore now that they are grown.” She paused. “And besides, I do not wish to miss it should she feel the need to call you a royal pain in the ass again.”

Indeed. Frigga had enjoyed that far more than he would have anticipated. “Nyx, wake up…”

It wasn’t working, so he shifted her to his lap and rocked her. Her eyes cracked open. “Loki.”

“Yes?”

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to wake you up.” He stopped rocking and resumed rubbing her back. “You’ve got to eat something.”

She sighed. “I know.”

Frigga leaned closer and held the chalice out to her. “Have some water.” 

She tried to take it but her hands still shook, so he held it for her. “You’re more alert. How do you feel?”

“Tired.” She drank some water. “Stiff. Will you help me stand?”

“Of course.” He set her aside and got up. He was getting stiff in his back as well. He wasn’t used to lying around in bed for such an extended period. Nyx scooted to the edge of the bed and he put his hands under her arms and lifted her to her feet. She stood facing him and held onto his biceps to steady herself. He could feel her shaking. “Do you know if this is normal? The shaking?”

“It’s a common side effect. Did my hair grow any?” He looked and couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed before. It was a good three inches longer than it had been. 

“My goodness,” his mother exclaimed. “It’s quite a bit longer.”

“Caden used the whole syringe.” She frowned. “He let you bring me here?”

“He said he would raise no objection, but I do not believe he expected me to have all of your things moved. I took advantage. The next move is his,” Frigga answered.

“This is your room?” she asked Loki, looking around. “Do you...is it okay with you?”

“You wouldn’t be here otherwise.” He moved his hands from under her arms down to her hips. “Would you like to try and walk a little?”

“Yes.”

He stayed in position and led her around as if they were dancing. Nyx seemed to find it funny, and soon they were all laughing. He showed her where they’d hung her clothes and where her journal and library books were. “You’ll have a dressing room next to the bath, but it’s not quite finished yet. Mother has been overseeing the work all day.”

She looked to his mother and back to him. “Oh, Loki.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “You know he’s not going to let me stay.”

He hugged her, though he took care not to squeeze too hard. “Don’t cry, darling. And remember your promise.” He was getting emotional himself. He’d asked her to believe in him and she’d been injured within hours of returning to Asgard. “Though I couldn’t blame you if you lost faith.”

“Lost faith? What are you talking about?”

He looked his mother’s way and saw she was pretending not to listen. “The protection spell fell apart. I should have stopped him. I didn’t get to you in time, and when I did I was so angry I couldn’t even help you. I knew if I looked down at you choking on your own blood that I would kill him right there.”

“You can’t control everything. Least of all Caden. And you’re not omnipotent that I’m aware of, so stop feeling responsible. I mean it, Loki. Just stop.”

“Nyx-.”

“You tried. Thor tried. That right there is more than I’ve ever had going in.”

“I should have found a way,” he insisted.

“How? Your father sanctioned the fight and he’s the king.”

His mother gave up the pretense of not listening and walked over. “Let me settle this.” She looked at him. “She’s right. Try to let it go. You can’t change what’s already come to pass.” She looked at Nyx. “Imagine the situation in reverse.” 

They looked at each other. Nyx paled. He hugged her again.

“I think I’ve made my point. Now get her into a chair, Loki, she’s about to fall over.”


	26. Just Tell Us

CHAPTER 26

His mother was back early the next morning to see to the work on the dressing room. Nyx was stronger, and though she still needed help walking around, she wasn’t sleeping continuously anymore. “Are you sure? I won’t be gone long, I hope.”

“Yes. I know you have things to do and there are people in and out constantly. I’m sure someone will help me if I ask. Your mother is in there too, isn’t she?”

Frigga poked her head out of the dressing room. “I am, I’m afraid. You’re probably tired of me by now.”

“No, I’m not. Though I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you for everything you’ve done.”

His mother beamed and came out of the dressing room. “You needn’t worry about that. I’m happy to help.” She turned to Loki. “Go on, I’ll take care of her.”

He leaned over and brushed a kiss across her forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

The hall outside his chambers was quiet. He knocked on his brother’s door, but there was no answer. The dining hall was his next guess and so he made his way over. No way was he going in, though. He wasn’t ready to see his father yet. He was too angry and disappointed, and if he were completely honest, he was also afraid of having Nyx snatched right out from under him.

He liked having her in his chambers. He liked being able to go to sleep without worrying about how close by Caden was. He liked the dresses in his closet.

People started to file out after twenty minutes or so. Thor came at the half hour mark and spotted him leaning against the outside wall. “Brother, I didn’t expect to see you.”

“I was hoping for a word.”

Thor walked over with Sif and the Warriors Three in tow. “Come with us to the stables and we’ll take a short ride out.”

He gave a brief nod of agreement. Thor obviously didn’t want their conversation overheard. They walked together to the stables and wasted no time in getting their horses tacked up and ready to go. Once outside, he took the position to Thor’s right and waited for him to lead.

They took the quickest route to the beach and rode maybe a kilometer out before halting the horses. Thor dismounted and so everyone else did as well. “How is Nyx?” he asked.

“Healing. She’s not as tired today, but she still can’t walk by herself. I left her with Mother.”

“There’s still no sign of Caden. You haven’t done anything to him? Truly?”

“I think for once no one would blame you,” Fandral drawled.

Loki ignored him and focused on Thor. “No, this is the first time that I’ve left Nyx since taking her from the healing room.”

Thor looked at him for a long time, undoubtedly trying to decide whether or not he was lying. He turned back to Sif and the Warriors Three after a couple of minutes. “When was he last seen?”

“Leaving the field,” Volstagg said with a shrug, and everyone agreed.

“Mother saw him after,” Loki said. “He had a private meeting with Father and then showed up in the healing room later.”

“Did he actually go to have his nose fixed?” Fandral said indignantly.

“No. He wanted to see Nyx.”

“Why?” Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun all looked at him. Sif was quiet and her expression blank. Carefully blank in fact, and Loki wondered what she was hiding.

“He gave her a healing serum.”

“Was he remorseful? What did he say?” Thor pressed for more details.

“I know not, Brother. They were in the room alone together. Mother did say he acted strangely and that when she went back inside, he’d put a pillow under her head.”

The wind picked up and blew sand around their legs. Thor was back to staring at him. It was Hogun that spoke next, though. “None of this adds up. They have been guests of the palace for weeks and now he’s suddenly decided to take her onto the training field. Why? And I mean no offense...” He looked directly at Sif. “But it’s unusual for a woman to be skilled in fighting.”

“Unusual,” Sif snapped. “But not unheard of. And she wasn’t that good.”

“Did we watch the same fight?” Fandral asked. “She lost, yes, but she wasn’t exactly on the ground crying after a couple of hits.”

Sif rolled her eyes. “Loki was protecting her.”

He clamped his jaw shut. Sif clearly had a problem with Nyx, but what concern was it of his? He didn’t care what she thought. 

Thor tapped his pointer finger against his lips and paced around. “Well, we know they are not of Midgard. Correct, Loki?”

He wasn’t sure he wanted to share all of it with all of them. They wouldn’t betray his brother, though, and Thor was leading up to it. “Correct.”

Fandral sighed. “Do you know where they are from?”

“Yes.”

“For the love of the nine! Just tell us!” Sif shouted.

He rounded on her. “I can’t imagine why I might be reluctant. Nyx’s life is at stake, and I can’t exactly trust you to take my side, can I?”

“How dare you talk to me about trust-.”

“Enough!” Thor bellowed. They fell silent. He turned to Loki. “You said you would tell me-.”

He turned his back and took a deep breath. Arguing was of no use. Even if he wanted it to remain between them, Thor wouldn’t last. He told his friends everything. “They’re from a group of realms out in the void.”

The story took several minutes to tell, and he left nothing out except for his plans to thwart Caden. Thor was somewhere between shocked and furious that their father had kept it from them. “I am to be king. What if something happened to Father and I knew nothing of this?”

“Well, Mother knows. But I do not deny the point; I had the same reaction.”

_“Vampires?”_ Fandral asked. “Are we sure she was telling the truth?”

“You know Midgard’s legends are almost always based on something. These realms are obviously not cut off. And I have no reason to believe Nyx is lying.”

“And she’s the one the prophecy is about?” Hogun asked.

“Caden thinks it’s her. Nyx doesn’t care. She says it’s unwinnable and she won’t fight for him regardless.”

Thor stopped fuming up at the sky long enough to look at him. “So he’s holding her prisoner? Trying to force this change upon her?”

“Yes. He’s convinced she’ll want to join the fight if she turns.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

Caught off guard--he hadn’t expected Thor to go right to the heart of the matter--Loki just looked at his brother and tried to come up with a response that he would believe. “Well...I went to Father and asked him to stop the abuse. He’s not yet aware that I know the full story.”

“And?”

He started to pace around, boots kicking up sand as he went. “If I can prove she’s not a darkling, she’ll be useless to Caden. I thought I’d start there.”

“Simple. Makes sense,” Volstagg said.

“What of the safety of the nine worlds?” Sif asked. “If there is a prophecy-.”

He rounded on her. “I knew it. I knew you would be the one to side with the All-Father. What is it about Nyx that you so dislike, or is it just because she’s mine?”

“What if those things bring war to us because you were selfish and didn’t want to give up your plaything?”

“Plaything?” he snarled. “She is not my-.”

“Stop, you two!” Thor got between them. “Sif, you cannot possibly think that she should be forced? That abuse is permissible because of a prophecy? Am I the only one that thought he was going to kill her on the training field?”

“No,” Fandral said. Hogun and Volstagg nodded in agreement. 

Sif’s face turned red and she crossed her arms over her chest. “So what then? We rescue poor defenseless Nyx and ignore the threat to Asgard? The other realms?”

Thor shoved him back and held him by the collar of his shirt. “No one is going to ignore a threat to the nine realms. And have a care how you speak or leave us now.”

Sif froze and Loki stopped trying to get at her. Thor had sided with him, or with Nyx, at least. He made a point of not looking at her when he spoke. “Nyx is our greatest asset in this, you know.”

“Information,” Hogun said.

“Exactly. She can advise us, and I believe she may be able to help find these paths that are opening between our worlds.”

“How?” Thor asked. “She doesn’t know how or where they traveled through.”

He again considered withholding information. He wanted his brother’s support, though. He wanted every advantage he could get. “She has enhanced senses. Between my power and her perception, we at least stand a chance of finding them.”

“Then what, try and close them?” Thor guessed.

“That would be my first choice, but if it’s not possible we could station guards. At least be prepared if something comes through.”

Thor was pacing again and Volstagg was leaning against his horse. Hogun alone was looking right at him. He only saw Sif out of the corner of his eye. “What of Caden?” Volstagg asked. “We still don’t know where he is.”

“And he’s a darkling?” Hogun said. “What does that mean, exactly?”

Loki thought back to what he’d seen and what Nyx had said. “They have counter magic and are immune to nillith abilities. Or one of them, anyway.”

“The eyes,” Sif said. Loki deliberately turned his back though he did listen. “Caden’s eyes flash sometimes…it looks like an animal in the dark, and it’s only for a split second.”

“I’ve seen it too,” he said simply. 

“Wait, if he has counter magic, why doesn’t he block you?” Thor asked.

“I don’t know. I wondered about that during the fight. I need to ask Nyx about it.”

“Back on point,” Volstagg said, “where is the bastard?”


	27. I'll Drink to That

CHAPTER 27

Frigga had lunch served for them on a balcony just outside of Loki’s rooms. Nyx felt conspicuous in a nightgown and robe, not to mention practically being carried out by the queen, but she didn’t want to seem rude or ungrateful. She sat in the chair that was pulled out for her and kept quiet.

“Dear, you’re looking at the silverware like it’s going to bite you.”

She looked up to find Frigga watching her curiously. “I...am I? I’m sorry. I was just…”

“You don’t know your way around a proper place setting, do you?”

Her face heated, she was sure, but she wasn’t going to lie. “No.”

“But you’ve been doing so well.”

“I just watch everyone else. I’ve figured some of it out, but this is different,” she said, pointing at her forks.

Frigga smiled. “Would you like me to teach you?”

“Yes,” she admitted with a sigh of relief. “I mean yes, please. If it’s not too much trouble.”

She paid attention as the place setting was demystified for her and followed Frigga’s lead with the food as well. Luckily there wasn’t any mystery meat. She ate as much cheese as she could stomach and had a few bites of fish for good measure. She needed to stop living on fruit and bread if Caden was going to force her into training. He’d taken her down far too easily, and at least part of the reason was that she’d gotten tired.

“I’m glad to see you’re eating,” Frigga said casually and Nyx couldn’t help her laugh.

“So Loki gets it from you.”

“What’s that?”

“He notices everything.”

“Perhaps some of it comes from me, but Loki is very much his own person.”

She took a sip of wine and considered asking a question, but decided it was better left alone. She didn’t know Frigga well enough for that. 

“Would you tell me about the healing serum?” 

“Regen? What do you want to know?”

“Well, how does it work? It’s remarkable, really...you had several broken ribs and we were certain there was a small puncture to your right lung. You slept for sixteen hours after it was administered and Loki said he couldn’t detect any breaks when he examined you.”

She picked at her dessert after considering it for a moment. It was a funny color, but it tasted good. She remembered Loki’s comment about her not eating anything she didn’t recognize. She didn’t recognize this stuff, but she’d make an exception. “I don’t know the exact process or science behind it, but it’s a stem cell treatment and it’s very expensive. I asked Caden where he got it and he said he found some in a burned out lab. Neither of us could have afforded it otherwise.” She ate some more of the dessert and decided it was the best of the Asgardian food she’d had so far. She hoped it wasn’t made out of something gross. “It’s hard to find these days anyway. So many of the worlds have burned or surrendered.”

Frigga reached across the table and touched her hand. “You say that in such a matter of fact way. It must be horrible. What of your home?”

“It was bombed a couple of years after I aged out of the system. I haven’t been back.”

“I don’t understand. Aged out?”

“I was left at a drop-off center when I was a baby. You can stay until you’re sixteen. It’s like boarding school once you get out of the first level.”

Loki’s mother paled and she had a hand over her heart. Nyx knew pity when she saw it. “I guess that sounds bad to you, but honestly? I never minded much. I at least got an education. If I’d been raised a shifter, I wouldn’t have gotten shi-. Um, anything probably,” she said, quickly correcting herself. “And my teachers were excellent. Almost all of them were graduates of the centers themselves. They knew what it was like to live that way.”

“By shifters you mean shapeshifters? Did you know that Loki can shift?”

“You’re kidding.”

Frigga took a healthy sip of wine and then refilled her chalice. She held the bottle up and Nyx accepted another serving. 

“No. He can take just about any form.”

Nyx had a big sip too. “He’s amazing. I’m still marveling over the clothes thing. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t told me.”

Frigga laughed and Nyx thought more about it. “Why doesn’t he do the clothes thing all the time?”

“I honestly don’t know, dear. I think it may bore him. The magical cost is low so unless he’s performed a ton of spells, it’s the work of a second and is hardly going to drain him.”

“Hmmm.”

“Tell me about your kind of shifters. Unless you’d rather not speak of it-.”

“I don’t mind.” She drank some more and tried to think of where to start. “Well, let’s see...they’re the most common race, or they were until the nillith population exploded. It’s hard to tell now because a lot of them are hiding. An invasion starts, you shift and run, you know? You can get out faster on four legs than on two.”

“So they’re all four-legged animals? They only shift to that?”

“You shift to what you’re born as, nothing else. Canines make up the majority. Wolves, mostly, but there are others, serpents and things like that. So it’s not all four-leggers.”

A servant came to clear the table and Frigga topped off their chalices with what was left of the bottle. “Did we drink all that?”

Loki’s mother nodded sheepishly. “Afraid so. I’m a little tipsy.” She picked up her chalice and tapped it against Nyx’s. “A toast to your speedy recovery.”

“Thank you. I’ll drink to that.”

“Why do you think he did it, Nyx?”

“Gave me the Regen, you mean?” she asked and Frigga nodded. “I can’t even guess. At first I thought maybe it was because his base was attacked and he’s bound to be desperate, but even that makes no sense. Pain can make a darkling turn, so why not wait and see?”

“So it’s only extreme circumstances?”

Nyx shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be extreme, is my understanding. Just a heightened state. Maybe it’s harder for hybrids or something. I don’t think Caden has found any of pure blood yet.”

“Really? How do you tell the difference?”

“The only way I know of is through the eyes. And power, of course. A pure darkling would be strong.”

They looked over at the same time when a guard stepped out onto the balcony. He approached with some trepidation, she thought. “The All-Father requests an audience, my-.”

“No. I’m busy right now. Thank you, that will be all.” 

The guard’s eyes got wide briefly, but then he scurried away. Nyx held her tongue. No way was she commenting on that.

“So, the eyes? What’s different about the eyes?”

“You’ve never seen Caden’s change?”

“No.”

“Oh, well, they get reflective. Some change color. Caden’s stay the same blue as they normally are, though. It’s fast in him, so it looks like they flash. Watch the next time he’s good and angry, and you might catch it.” She paused. “In pure darklings, the eyes change for longer. They say the powerful ones could change over and stay that way for quite awhile.”

“This only happens when they’re angry? What purpose does it serve?”

“No, it can happen during any heightened state. I’m not sure about the purpose. A lot of people think it’s a type of duality, like in a shifter. Provoke a darkling and you’ll see its soul through its eyes, that kind of thing. I don’t know, really. So much of this is second and third hand information. Legend even. They lived and died on their own world.”

Frigga nodded politely, but her eyes had strayed to the hall. “Let’s get you back inside. There’s a commotion in the-.”

“Nyx!” 

Loki. She’d know that voice anywhere. “I’m out here,” she called back, and suddenly he was there. He materialized in the middle of the balcony and was at her side a second later.

“I came back and you were gone.”

“Bank the fire, mianna, I was just having lunch with your mother.”

His eyebrows shot up and then he laughed. “I thought something had happened,” he admitted.

“I know.”

“Did you happen to notice if the workers were done in the dressing room?” Frigga asked, and he turned to her.

“No one was about.”

“Let’s go and have a look then, shall we?”

#

Nyx couldn’t think of a thing to say. The room was unlike anything she’d ever seen. It even made the guest chambers in Frey’s palace pale in comparison. The walls were an iridescent light grey and the dressing table took up most of one wall. In the center of the room there was a round padded ottoman of enormous size, and there were two matching chairs pushed against the wall to the right. A couple of dress forms stood in one corner, and there were built-in shoe racks and a wardrobe to the left. A floor to ceiling mirror covered a section of the middle wall, and tiny white lights hung from strings affixed to the ceiling. “I...it’s beautiful, thank you.” She swallowed. 

Frigga gave her a small, indulgent smile and then looked at Loki.

“It is adequate for now.” He eyed the empty shoe racks and wardrobe. “We’ll go shopping when you’re feeling better.”

Nyx started to say something, but Frigga beat her to it. “It is only adequate, dearest? What don’t you like?”

“It feels cramped. I may resize the chairs. And I only count enough slots for a dozen pairs of shoes.”

“We can add more as needed. It is a small space, however.”

Nyx looked from Loki to Frigga and back. “I don’t have a dozen pairs of shoes, so-.”

“I just told you I’d take you shopping. Are you foggy yet?”

“We had a large bottle of wine, I’m afraid,” his mother told him.

He sighed. “Please tell me she ate something more than an apple and some crackers.”

“I-.”

Frigga looked at him with a bright expression. “She did! She ate quite well.”

“I am standing right here,” she said dryly. His arm tightened around her waist and he dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

“I need to be off,” Frigga announced. “Please send for me if there’s anything you require.” She started to turn away and then stopped. “Nyx, I very much enjoyed our lunch. I hope that we can do that again in the near future.”

“I would like that. And thank you for everything, Frigga. So much.”

“Yes, Mother, thank you.”

The queen left and it became so quiet that she could hear the swirling water of the bath in the adjacent room. She leaned against Loki and glanced around the room again. “All this just for getting dressed.”

“Hardly. I’m going to have you nine different ways on that ottoman.”


	28. Teasing Me, Nyxanya?

CHAPTER 28

“I understand work is being done in Loki’s rooms?”

Odin was standing in the doorway to her personal library. “Yes,” was all she said before turning back to her book. He sighed, but came no further.

“May I ask what kind of work?”

“The empty chamber off his bath was made into a dressing room for Nyx.”

“I see.”

She deliberately smoothed her face when she realized how tightly compressed her lips were. “I doubt that.”

“Frigga-.”

“Do not speak to me until you are willing to hear another side to this story.”

“What other side?” he said in a voice so genuinely confused that it infuriated her. She jumped to her feet, whirled, and threw her book at him. Her husband gaped at her. 

“Nyx’s side!”

He frowned. “What does the girl say?”

She went around the chaise she’d been lounging on and stood toe to toe with him. “She says Caden’s is a lost cause. That he doesn’t have the army nor the resources, and that if his base was attacked the realm will soon be overrun. Furthermore, I believe her when she says she’ll never fight for him. He’s done nothing but abuse her.”

“What would you have me do?”

“Cast him out and allow Nyx to marry Loki.”

“This is Loki’s wish?”

“He has not yet stated it, but it is only a matter of time. Even Finna of Alfheim has named them a perfect match.”

“She _what?_ ” Odin staggered and grabbed at the door frame. As angry as she was with him, Frigga could not ignore his increasing frailty. 

“Come in and sit before you collapse. You have put off the Odinsleep far too long.”

He shuffled in and went to the chaise, then stubbornly waited for her to sit first, so she did. 

“I need to think on this. On all of it,” he said tiredly.

#

There was a rapid knocking on his outer door and Loki sighed. “That’s probably Thor.” He walked her out of the dressing room and through the bedchamber, then seated her in the main room. “Who is it?”

“It is I, Brother.”

“Come in.”

Thor opened the door and smiled when he saw Nyx. “You look better, my lady, but are you not tired of my little brother yet?”

He tensed in annoyance, but Nyx laughed. “There’s nothing little about Loki.”

Thor’s face turned pink. Loki stared at her, and Nyx grinned. “What? I just meant you’re...tall.”

She meant nothing of the sort, and they all knew it. Thor walked in after a moment and took the chair across from her, and Loki sat next to her and draped an arm over her shoulders. “Well, Thor, anything?”

“No. You?”

He shook his head. Nyx looked from one to the other but didn’t ask. Her robe was falling open at the knee so he reached down and tucked the fabric in around her legs. “No one has seen Caden since he left the healing room.” He hated to even say the man’s name. “Also, I’ve told Thor, the Warriors Three, and Sif where you’re from and what Caden is trying to do.”

She met his eyes. “Okay.”

“Do you have any idea where he could be?”

“Your mother told me his base was attacked. He could have gone there. He has to be traveling back and forth or getting messages in somehow to even be aware of it.”

It didn’t take him long to piece it together. “Is that why he took you onto the training field?”

“I think so, yes. He’s desperate and looking for an advantage. When we got back from Alfheim, he was waiting in my room and...threats were made. On both sides.”

His blood froze. Somehow, he just knew. “He dared to threaten you with-.” He couldn’t finish the sentence. Thor must have worked out what they spoke of because he muttered something nasty under his breath. 

Nyx put a hand on his thigh and squeezed. “I know it’s disturbing. I won’t lie and say it didn’t scare me, but I’m not defenseless either. And he knows it.”

He did nothing but breathe for a minute, but the images came anyway and Nyx looked at him knowingly. “Stop it. Loki, stop. It’s not going to happen.”

Thor rotated his head like the muscles in his neck were unbearably tight. “Honestly, Brother, maybe we should just bloody well kill him.”

When he said nothing Nyx pushed into his side and he wrapped his other arm around her too. “Has anyone checked his room?” she asked after a minute.

“Well, I knocked,” Thor told her.

She pulled back from Loki’s embrace and looked at him. “Can you zoom in and make sure he’s not there?”

He realized what she meant at the same time Thor did. His brother barked in surprise, covered his mouth, and then gave up and laughed. “I generally think of it as scattering, teleporting, or simply moving through spaces. Not _zooming_.”

Nyx didn’t appear interested. “Okay, can you scatter, teleport, or move through spaces and make sure he’s not there?”

“For what purpose?”

“So I can go look around and see if he left anything behind that’ll tell us where he went.”

Thor perked up like a great golden dog being offered a bit of meat. “That’s an excellent idea. Loki?”

There was nothing to be lost in doing it. “I’ll only be gone a moment. Stay where you are,” he told Nyx.

He reappeared in her old room to first have a listen. It was completely still and silent, so he walked out to the main room and listened again. Still nothing, and the room was in perfect order as though it hadn’t been touched since its last cleaning. He made one final move to Caden’s door and there was no sound from within. A knock went unanswered, so he opened the door, glanced around, and then teleported back to his chambers. “He is not there.”

Nyx started to get up and he went to her. “It’s too far for you to walk. I’ll carry you.”

“The effects of the Regen are almost worn off. I can walk if you let me hold on to you.”

He held his hand out and she took it. Once she was standing, she looked down at herself and sighed. “I need to get dressed. I’ll be back in a-.” She stopped and took in the clothes he’d changed her into. “This is a little much for a walk across the palace, isn’t it?”

“You look lovely.”

“I concur, Brother,” Thor said, and he gave him a warning look.

They left his rooms and made their way down the quiet hall. Loki led and took them a roundabout way in order to avoid attention. Nyx was indeed stronger, but she was shaky yet so he kept an arm firmly around her. When they arrived he sent Thor in first and then followed. She went straight to Caden’s bedchamber and checked the closet. “His clothes are here.”

Loki and Thor looked on while Nyx searched. She bent and picked up a pair of heavy boots and turned them over. “Ash on the soles.” She put them back exactly as they’d been.

In the bath chamber she found a basket of dirty clothing and pulled a shirt out to smell it. “He’s definitely traveled back at least once. This reeks of accelerant.” She stopped and sniffed it again. “And vampire.”

Thor went to stand beside her. “You can smell all that?”

“Yeah. Here.” She handed him the shirt and Thor brought it up to his nose.

“All I smell is smoke, and it is faint.”

Nyx shrugged and glanced over at him. She dropped the shirt back into the basket when Thor handed it off to her again. “Loki? Are you okay?”

“I’m not overly fond of you handling his things.”

Thor made a face. “Brother-.”

“No, I understand. I’ll try to be quick about it.” She searched the basket and all of his pockets. She pulled something plastic out and held it up to the light. “This is the syringe the Regen was in, I think.” 

She pulled a shirt out that he immediately recognized as the one Caden had worn on the training field. It was dark in color, a deep blue, but the stains were visible anyway. She put it back and buried it underneath the other clothes. He went to stand next to her. “Why did you do that?”

“It has my blood on it. His too, though.”

She didn’t wait for his reply. The rest of the search in the bath didn’t yield much, so she moved back into the bedchamber. The nightstand drawers were empty, though, so she ran her hands along the underside of the mattress and behind the headboard. “Maybe he’s not as careless as I thought. He hasn’t left anything important behind.”

Thor walked around while Loki went to wait by the door. “But he’s been back to your realms. You’re sure?” Thor asked.

“Yes.”

They left after one more brief pass. Nyx had been walking on her own while she searched Caden’s rooms and had started to shake more noticeably. He pulled her in close. “Are you tired? Shall I carry you back?”

“No, I can make it.”

“I didn’t ask if you could make it. I asked if you were tired.”

“Maybe a little, but…” She stopped speaking when he swept her up and just put her arms around his neck. “People will think I’m weak,” she complained.

Thor spoke before he could. “They will think nothing of it. Loki carrying you, that is. News of your ordeal spread through the palace rapidly and many will be expecting to see you injured. Now that I think on the matter, it was more conspicuous to have you walking unaided.”

Nyx dropped her head to his shoulder. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

He ignored Thor’s staring for as long as he could. “What, Brother?” he eventually growled.

Thor gestured inarticulately. Such a surprise. “I am not accustomed to seeing so much of this...side of you.”

“And which side is that?”

“You are protective and gallant. The Loki I know cuts off a maiden’s hair while she sleeps-.”

Nyx laughed. He glared at his brother. “We were boys then, Thor.”

“Yes, try telling that to Sif. Especially now that she’s let it go.”

“She has?” Nyx asked.

“No. Thor thinks he’s amusing.”

They arrived back at his chambers and went inside. He deposited her on the chaise again and paced the room. Thor wandered around as well. “We should start with the point of entry,” he said after a minute.

“You mean where he’s coming in at?” Thor asked.

“Yes. Nyx? Do you have any ideas on how to go about that?”

#

He didn’t get rid of his brother for another hour. They strategized until Nyx fell asleep and Loki simply threw him out. He picked her up and spelled her clothes off before tucking her into bed. He’d had his fill of lying around so he sat in a chair to read while she napped.

It was a couple of hours before she woke again. She stretched and kicked the covers part of the way down, revealing her breasts. He closed his book and smiled. “Did you rest well?”

“Mmmm, yes.” Her voice, a little hoarse with sleep, was as erotic as it was adorable. She toed the covers the rest of the way off.

“Nice view.”

Her laugh was low and playful. One hand swept down her side and back up. Lust kicked him low in the stomach and blood rushed to his cock. “You like that?”

“Oh, yes.”

She massaged her breasts lazily and he stayed glued to his chair, watching. After awhile she started to circle her nipples and they hardened to little nubs. Loki started to get up. “Not yet,” she said, and he sat back down.

“Teasing me, Nyxanya? Are you sure that’s wise?”

“It’s worked out well in the past.”

He laughed and her hand snaked down her belly. One finger played along her folds, but her legs remained closed so it was difficult to see. Certainly she knew that, but the little beast stayed right where she was. Her breathing got heavy the more she played and soon there was a rhythm to it as she moved her finger back and forth across her clitoris, and then down to dip inside. She went deeper each time and when she added another finger he heard her whimper.

Staying in his seat was torture. It was hardly fair that he should endure alone. “That looks frustrating. Wouldn’t it serve you better to spread your legs?”

She growled and clamped them shut just as he’d known she would. It was an act made more delicious by the fact that she’d been seconds away from opening. He was sure of it. He opened his own legs and stretched out to relieve some of the pressure. “Such wet little fingers. I bet they taste like honey.”

He should have known his Nyx wasn’t going to be so easily defeated. She fucked herself until she bowed off the mattress and then she removed her fingers and, eyes on his, put them in her mouth and sucked. When she was done, she let them slide from her lips with a pop. “You’re right. They taste like honey.” She drew her knees up and let her legs fall open. Both hands went to her pussy and Loki could scarcely breathe.

He removed his clothes with magic and watched with no small amount of satisfaction as her eyes locked on. He fisted his cock and stroked it base to tip. “Come to me.”

She rolled off the bed. He hadn’t expected her to obey so easily, and he was disappointed that she did. When she was almost to him she dropped to her knees and crawled the rest of the way. Kneeling between his legs, she slipped his hands when he reached down for her. “Ah, so that wasn’t a surrender after all.”

She placed her hands on his thighs and dropped her head. The first brush of her lips against his cock had him gasping. She pushed his legs farther apart and kissed a trail all the way down his length to his balls. Then her tongue came out to play. She flattened it and licked her way up, then teased his tip, lapping up the drop of fluid that gathered.

He ground his molars when she repeated the process and captured her hair in his fist to give it a gentle tug, but she retaliated by stopping and sitting back on her heels. She reached between her legs again, watching him closely as she did it, and Loki knew he was going to lose. She used the same two fingers and slowly pushed them in. Her hips started to buck and she slapped her other hand down, seeking out her clitoris. Seconds passed; her breathing turned ragged again and her skin flushed.

Loki lunged. “Oh, no you don’t.” He pulled her hands away and took her to the floor, using one knee to push her legs open. He lined himself up and entered her with one swift, hard push. Her nails sunk into his back in a familiar way and he reveled in the loss of control. The depth always told him how far gone she really was, and at the moment, she was gouging the hell out of him. “Come,” he demanded.

Nyx made a high pitched noise, something between a cry and a moan, and he went harder and deeper until her legs tightened and her walls contracted around him. She was still twitching with aftershocks when he slid his arms underneath her and got to his knees. He gave her bottom a little slap for good measure and stood up. “Now, where to have my fun?”

Her weight pushed her down onto his cock so hard that they both sucked in a breath. “Well, this has potential,” he panted.

Nyx squirmed on him and tried to get some leverage, but she was thoroughly impaled. Her arms tightened around his neck and she tried again, but she only managed to move up by an inch or two before she sunk down again. And he felt a tiny flutter. “My darling, you’re going to come again, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she answered in a small, humiliated voice. 

He tightened his grip and lifted her until only the crown of his cock remained inside, and then he let her sink back down slowly. He did it again and caught a nipple with his mouth briefly. “Harder,” she cried. “Faster, faster, faster.”

Loki gave her all she asked for, and he caught her shrieks in his mouth when she came yet again. He could have easily gone over with her, but there was something else he wanted.

In the dressing room he put her down and pulled out, then turned her to face the ottoman and gently pushed her to her knees. Gathering her hands behind her back and pinning them with one of his, he whispered in her ear, “Bend over.”

She did, and he used his free hand to widen her legs and then he pushed in. Nyx was belly down on the cushion and still panting, but she jerked a little when he pressed in deep and then settled. He set a fast pace and used shallow strokes for as long as he could stand it, and when he could no longer, he shoved in hard and deep. “Loki,” Nyx gasped.

He came choking on words even he couldn’t understand because his mouth disconnected from his brain. When it was over he let her hands go and collapsed onto her back until he could breathe again. 

“We can call it a tie,” she croaked after a couple of minutes.

He eased out and his seed spilled from her almost to the floor. He conjured a small towel and caught it, but he’d filled her good and it continued to leak out. He folded the cloth and pressed it to her, but Nyx jumped. “Darling?”

“That hurts.” She pushed herself up on her elbows and he carefully turned her over to lie on the ottoman. He called for a clean towel and picked it up when it appeared beside him, then put it under her and dropped the other. There was a little bit of blood on it.

“I was too rough with you; I’ve made you bleed.”

“That’s okay, it was worth it.” She smiled softly. He laid a hand over her as lightly as he could and worked a healing spell.

“Better?”

She wiggled around. “Yes.”

Loki pulled her to the edge of the ottoman. “Bath?”

“You’re getting in with me, right?”

“Of course.”


	29. Thirteen

CHAPTER 29

It took two days of riding all over Asgard with Loki, Thor, the Warriors Three, and Sif to catch the scent, but once she did, she knew they were close. “Stop,” she said, tugging at Loki.

He came to a halt, and everyone else stayed behind them. “Do you want down?”

She looked around. They weren’t far from the palace, but they were in a section of dense forest. The trail was barely visible, but Loki was familiar with it and led everyone else. Thor was just behind them. “Yes. I can-.”

“No.” He dismounted and reached up for her. He still wasn’t convinced she was recovered. She went to him without argument. If it made him feel better to lift her off the horse, what was the harm?

She walked slowly and deliberately and tried not to be obvious that she was sniffing out a trail. Loki knew it, of course, but Sif had made enough comments for Nyx to feel uncomfortable around her. She didn’t want to give her more ammunition. 

Once she pinpointed the right direction, it didn’t take her long. The area reeked of combustibles, smoke, ash...an invasion. Unfortunately she had no experience with portals, though. Loki had her hand and tried to pull her back, but it was too late.

She went right through. An arm clamped down on her waist, and she realized with horror that he was still with her. She had no sooner registered the fact when he jerked her up and back. She slammed into him, and they fell backward on the trail, colliding with Thor and going down in a heap of arms and legs. “Nyx. Nyx, are you burned?” Loki was demanding.

“No, are you?”

“There’s a portal right there? In the middle of the trail?” Thor bellowed. The Warriors Three and Sif surrounded them, and Thor threw his arms out. “My friends, go no further!”

Loki disentangled himself from his brother and pulled her to her feet alongside him. His hands ran the length of her body and stopped to cup her face. His expression was anxious, and she reached out to touch him too. He looked unharmed, thankfully. “What...where…?”

She tried to think. It had happened so fast. “I think that was Thirteen, but it was hard to tell. I...that was so stupid of me. I’m sorry.”

Loki pulled her to him and hugged her. “You have nothing to apologize for. I didn’t see it until you were already going through.”

Thor got to his feet and snagged the back of Loki’s shirt. He pulled them both away from the portal. “This is madness. It’s right here in the open and Father told no one.”

Sif circled them and Nyx tensed. The woman was certainly loyal to Thor, but she had no use for Loki or Nyx. “What was on the other side? What is that smell? Did Loki ask if you were burned?” She fired questions like bullets.

“A burned plain. Explosives. Yes.” She met Sif in the eye. 

“Could you be more specific?” came the sarcastic reply.

“A vast smoldering field with the remains of some buildings and vehicles. Firebombs made with X272 in all likelihood, and ‘yes’ meaning an affirmative reply.”

Thor quickly got between them and Loki laughed outright. “Any other questions, Sif?”

She started to open her mouth when Thor interrupted. “Loki, you will remember this location? Or should we mark it?”

“I’ll remember.”

Thor paced around as much as the narrow, overgrown path would allow. He stayed well away from the portal, though. They all did. “You think it’s Thirteen? That’s where Caden’s base is, right?”

“I’m only guessing Thirteen, but yes, that’s where Caden’s base is.” She thought about it. There hadn’t been anyone around. “I could go back through and have a better look.”

Loki’s grip on her tightened. “No.”

She turned to look up at him. His lips were set in a thin line. “The portal is wide open, Loki. I can go in and come right back out-.”

“What is there to be gained?” Fandral asked. “We wanted to know where Caden is getting in and out at, correct?”

Thor stopped his stomping around long enough to look at Fandral and then at Nyx and Loki. “Yes. What’s to be gained?”

They all focused on her. “Well, if it’s Thirteen, is that Caden’s base that’s been leveled? He hasn’t been back to Asgard that we know of in five days. He could be dead. The portal is unguarded. If Thirteen falls, how long until it’s discovered? What if Asgardians are vulnerable to nillith abilities? Do you know the kind of devastation they could cause if they were able to siphon the power off of someone like Loki?”

“I thought you wanted no part in the war. I thought it was a lost cause,” Sif said.

“On my side it is. That doesn’t mean I want them to take the nine realms too,” Nyx snapped. 

Thor cleared his throat and made a not-so-subtle move to push Sif back a few inches. He looked over Nyx’s head at Loki and raised his eyebrows. “What do you think? She makes a compelling argument. On the other hand, can you simply close the portal?”

“Both options have merit. Nyx?”

“Locking Caden out would obviously benefit me, but it’s the only portal we know the location of. Close it and you close off access to information too. Not to mention any remaining darklings.”

The corners of Loki’s mouth turned up. “How would you safeguard the nine realms?” Thor and everyone else looked at him in surprise, and then at her.

“Take in anyone that’s useful, find and close the portals or guard them, and build your defenses. When they come, meet them with overwhelming force.”

Thor exchanged glances with his friends. Loki looked smug. “That is precisely how I would handle it.”

“It must have occurred to Father,” Thor said. “There must be some reason-.”

“I’ve no doubt that’s what he’ll do if Caden fails. He’s always preferred to keep things at a distance, but he plans ahead too.”

Nyx tried to move away. She had tired of standing in one spot. Loki caught her by the waist and held her though. She craned her neck around to look at him again, sighed and turned back. “What do you think I’m going to do, run through the portal while you aren’t paying attention?”

She felt him shrug. “It’s what I would do.” 

Fandral and Volstagg snorted in near perfect unison. Hogun scratched his chin. “What if we all go? If Caden is dead and the portal’s unprotected, we need to go to the All-Father, don’t we?”

“I don’t think he’s dead. Father has made no comment about his absence,” Loki said.

“But if he went back to Thirteen, even if it was planned, he could have been killed. You saw what it looked like, and Caden is stubborn. He would have stayed to fight if he were under attack.”

“Most warriors would,” Sif said in a tone so superior that Nyx wanted to punch her.

“I know. I’ve been watching idiots lose the same fight over and over again for years.”

Sif stepped in close and Nyx smiled up at her. Loki took her arm and pulled her back. “So what would you do, run every time?” Sif asked pointedly.

“Depends on my position. If it’s indefensible and firebombs are dropping from the sky, then yes, I’d run. I damn sure wouldn’t risk any darklings for a base.”

Sif’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t comment. Thor nudged her aside and addressed his brother. “Can you disguise us if need be?”

“Of course.”

She would have rather gone alone, but knew they’d never agree. “Are we all going then?”

Thor nodded. She turned to Loki. “Test your powers when we go through, okay? If they don’t work, we need to know.” She glanced at them in turn, though she would have preferred to ignore Sif. “Nilliths come in different forms, but they all look alien. Darklings, vampires, and shifters are all humanoid. Darklings have eyes that change, vampires will fixate on your throat if they’re starving, and shifters are often unkempt and sometimes behave like their animal. Don’t let any of them touch you. If you see any nilliths get as far away as you can.” Picking out the essential information wasn’t easy. She tried to think of what they were most likely to encounter and how to handle it. “If we find Caden or any of his people, don’t try to communicate right away. Stressed darklings can be volatile and given the right set of circumstances, they’ll attack without thinking.” 

Loki was the only one that didn’t look caught off guard. He’d already thought it through while the rest of them were still trying to get their bearings. “And?” he prompted.

“Stay close together and let me lead. Not because I’m in charge,” she said as soon as Thor started to object, “but because I know what to watch for.”

“All right, but if there is danger, you should step back,” Thor said.

She almost rolled her eyes at him. Instead, she reached for Loki’s hand. “Ready?”

They went through first. Thor and Sif were next, and then the Warriors Three. She waited while Loki tested his powers. He did an impressive smoke shield and then changed her into clothing so thick she sagged under the weight. “Too heavy.”

“I don’t want you to get a burn.”

“I won’t. Pants, please.”

He sighed and changed her into a pair of leather pants and the green tunic she’d worn to Northern Alfheim. Thor grinned at her and she pulled on Loki’s hand before he could react. They started to walk across the charred land. “Watch for debris. The explosives don’t always ignite when they hit the ground. Step on one and you’ll get blown to pieces.”

“This is…I’ve never seen such waste,” Volstagg said, looking around. All of the vegetation had been destroyed and the ground was burnt as far as the eye could see.

“Sad, isn’t it?” she answered.

Sif glanced at her and then away. Thor pointed to the remains of a vehicle. “What’s that?”

“Some kind of land vehicle. Two wheeler, I think.” It was mostly twisted metal.

They came to the remains of a building and she looked for identifying characteristics, but there wasn’t enough of it left. There were some bodies, though. She thought of how much the smell used to bother her. She squatted next to one and looked it over. There was a chain and pendant partially melted around its neck. She slipped her utility knife out of her boot and used the tip to pry it free. 

“What is it?” Loki bent down for a closer look.

“I think it’s one of Caden’s pendants. Everyone on base has to wear one for identification and to access the doors.”

Sif beat Fandral to the next body and found a necklace on it too. She used her hand to pull it free and held it up for everyone. “Ooh, what a badass,” Nyx muttered under her breath. Loki swatted her ass, but when she looked at him he winked.

“Is this Caden’s base then?” Thor asked.

She stood up again. “Probably. Let’s see if we can get a body count.”

It took almost three hours to count a hundred and eighty-six bodies. Most of them had necklaces or the remnants of them. “Definitely Caden’s base then,” she said tiredly. 

Loki slipped an arm around her from behind and she leaned back on him for a minute. She’d been at odds with most of Caden’s army, but it was still a sick waste of life. Thor looked over at them, his expression grim. “Is there anything left to do here?”

She glanced up at the sky and its fading light. There were fires in the distance, and one of them was closer and more sizable than she was comfortable with. “Not unless Loki can do something with the portal. We don’t want to be out here once it’s dark.”

“What do you think should be done with it?” he asked.

She thought about it, and the short answer was that she didn’t know. She said as much to them. “Can you hide it or anything? Maybe temporarily?”

“No. And I can’t close it without help. The smoke from the shield dissipated before it came to an edge, so the portal is sizable.” He exchanged glances with Thor.

“We’re going to have to speak with Father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried running this chapter through Grammarly, so if my commas are fucked up, blame them. I disagreed on six of them but decided to go with it anyway. What I wouldn't give for a copy editor BFF.
> 
> Also, my apologies in regards to Sif. She might be coming off like a bitch for the sake of the story, but I love the character. And actually, there's a lot of me in the way I've portrayed her. I'm usually the suspicious one, and I'd so hold a grudge for the rest of my life if Loki ruined my hair ;-)


	30. She Will Stand to Your Right

CHAPTER 30

Nyx was shaking by the time they reached the doors. Loki anchored her to him with an arm about her waist instead of having her take his arm, which would have been the proper way to walk her into the throne room. If anyone dared to speak of it, he would tell them she was still recovering from her injuries and needed his support.

Thor walked to his left and together they approached the throne. He started to kneel, but their father put out a hand. “Stay.” He looked the three of them over and spent the most time on Nyx, who scarcely breathed under his scrutiny. “My sons,” he said at last. “What urgent matter brings you to the throne this evening?”

“We’ve learned the truth about Caden and his realms, Father,” Thor said.

Odin leaned forward. He showed no outward emotion though his attention once again focused on Nyx. “Have you?”

“Yes. And we located an open portal-.”

Their father’s head jerked back and he looked once again to Thor. _“What?”_

“It’s in the open. Nyx and Loki accidentally went through-.”

Odin shot to his feet faster than Loki had seen him move in a decade. Nyx pushed into his side and he squeezed her reassuringly. “I pulled her back through immediately,” he said in a calm tone. “But after a discussion, we went for a closer look.”

Their father sat down again. The fingers of his right hand were clenched around Gungnir so tightly that his knuckles were white. He turned a livid expression on Nyx. “You allowed my sons to travel into your realms knowing the danger they could face? Did I not discuss the possibility of Asgardians being susceptible to nillith attacks _right in front of you?_ ”

“Father-.” Odin cut him off with an angry growl and Loki snapped his mouth shut.

“I offered to go alone,” she said in a voice that was on the edge of shaking. “They wouldn’t hear of it. The area was burned and no one was around. I had Loki check to see if he could disguise us as soon as we went through, and we didn’t stray far from the portal. I took the lead. The danger was minimal at that distance.”

She’d held something back, the clever girl. 

“Minimal how? Explain yourself,” Odin bit off.

“I can smell nilliths reliably from two kilometers, usually more. One whiff and I would have had Loki put up the shield so we could run back.”

Thor turned his head and stared at her. “Why didn’t you tell us that?”

“Because a tight group is easier to move. If we branched off and came under attack, it would have been next to impossible to get out in time. People run in different directions, and the nilliths have been at this long enough to know how to exploit that.”

“I am a seasoned warrior, woman, I can come up with a defense strategy-.”

“Silence!”

Thor and Nyx jumped at the sound of Odin’s voice. Loki had seen it coming, though. 

“I would hear what you found on the other side now.”

Nyx and Thor started to speak at the same time. Nyx yielded, and Thor explained that Caden’s base was destroyed. He delivered the body count last. Their father looked to Nyx. “That is a significant number, is it not?”

“He only had housing for two hundred and fifty, and I doubt he was at capacity. It could have been all of them or nearly all of them that were stationed on Thirteen.”

“There was no sign of him?”

“Other than a hundred and eighty-six bodies, no.”

The eyebrow rose. “What do you mean by that?”

“The base wasn’t evacuated. It looked to me like he tried to hold his position.”

“And the surrounding area?”

“Burned. Thirteen has either fallen or will within a few days.”

Odin sat forward and gestured with his free hand. His tone was just as impatient. “Well? What is your recommendation?”

She squirmed and he squeezed her again. It was the best he could do under the circumstances. “I would need all the variables to offer sound advice, but it comes down to this: that portal is unprotected, and it’s big enough to drive through. We stood shoulder to shoulder when we left and still didn’t find the edge.”

“It wasn’t just the three of you.” There was no question in his statement, but Thor answered anyway.

“The Warriors Three and Lady Sif went with us, Father.”

A moment of quiet did nothing to quell the fury that thickened the air. “Loki, go fetch your mother and be swift about it. Thor, you will go to Alfheim and bring Frey back with you.”

He turned and brought Nyx around with him. His father ordered him to leave her and then bellowed at Thor to get moving. He had no choice but to do as he was told. He let her go, then teleported to his mother’s door and pounded on it frantically. “Mother! Are you there?”

A servant came around the corner and informed him that the queen was in her library. He bolted down the hall and when he was halfway there, started yelling for her. She came out into the hallway before he reached the door. “Loki, what is it?”

“The throne room. Quickly, Mother, please.”

She paled. “Your father? Has something happened?”

“No, he forced me to leave Nyx with him. Please-.”

She closed the distance between them and grabbed his hand. They teleported back to the throne room together. He went to Nyx at once and his mother strode to the base of the throne. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Our sons have learned of Caden’s realms and took it upon themselves to visit one of them through a portal they found today. The base has been destroyed, Caden is missing, and the portal is unguarded. I intend to close it, but it’s going to take a great deal of power. I’ve sent Thor to Alfheim to get Frey.”

“I would have a private word, dear.”

“There is no time for privacy, Frigga, if you have something to say, you are going to have to say it here.”

“What are your intentions in regards to Nyx?”

Loki froze and Nyx dropped his hand. Her features smoothed out and she might have looked resigned if not for the dead glaze that came over her eyes.

“You think I’ll cast her out.”

“If you believe it’s the right thing to do, yes.”

“I have no such plans.”

He released the breath he’d been holding and Frigga nodded and moved up the steps to take her place to the right of his father. He bent to Nyx’s ear. “I’ve got to take my place as well. Stay here and I’ll collect you when it’s time to-.”

Gungnir struck the dais and the sound of metallic thunder spread out and bounced off the walls. “Need I remind you that Frey will be here any minute, Loki? And that there are artworks of the two of you in the shops of Alfheim? She will stand to your right on the steps,” Odin stated succinctly.

He was taken aback, but not to such a degree that he hesitated. He reached for her hand and found it ice cold, but there wasn’t time to comfort her. He led her over to the steps, positioned her, and changed her back into a proper dress. His mother murmured her approval and fell silent again.

Night arrived while they waited for Thor’s return and Loki lit the torches knowing his father’s preference for them. There were overhead lights as well, but Odin found them irritating. He grunted when the torches burst into flame and muttered something about not wasting power. “I haven’t, Father. I used a simple spell. It doesn’t drain me in the least.”

“And how much did you use on your journey today?” came the retort.

“Very little. We had no need of it.”

They were interrupted by Thor’s return. Frey, Alrek, and Grein were with him. Frey approached the throne while Thor took up a position to the left of their father. Alrek and Grein kneeled from several feet behind Frey. “I thought it could not hurt to bring my son and his cousin, All-Father.”

“Probably wise. Have they any experience with portals?”

“Not much, but they’re both advanced practitioners of magic. They can add power to anything we use.”

Odin stood. “Very well. Let us make haste. An open portal of this size is an invitation to disaster.” He moved down the steps and motioned Alrek and Grein to their feet before turning to Thor. “Lead the way, my son.”

Thor’s cheeks reddened to such a degree that it was visible even under the low light of the torches. He cleared his throat. “Loki is more familiar with the path, Father.”

Odin’s head came around slowly. “Then Loki, you will lead. We’ll need to go to the stables?”

“Yes, Father.”

He reached for Nyx and guided her down the steps. Frey smiled and reached for her hand as soon as they neared. “Our lady Nyx, I am pleased to see you again, though I wish it were under happier circumstances.”

Nyx said all of the polite things and smiled at Frey, but she was still off. He hoped closing the portal wasn’t an ordeal. All he wanted was some time alone with her so they could both decompress. 

Frey greeted his mother next and Alrek and Grein hit their knees again as soon as he neared with Nyx. The look on his father’s face was almost comical as they both fussed over her. Thor came up behind him and sighed. “You should put pepper sauce on her hands.”

Loki bit his lip to keep from laughing and both he and Thor were treated to a stern look from their father. “We need to be going,” he said apologetically to Alrek and Grein with a slight nod in Odin’s direction. The light elves had no trouble taking his cue; they stood up and fell into step behind him.

There were too many of them walking to the stables for him to say anything specific, so he kept a tight hold on her hand and moved as briskly as he dared. Thor, Alrek, and Grein kept up, but the others soon fell behind. Once they reached the stables he left the formalities to his brother and quickly tacked up his own horse while servants dashed around preparing mounts for the rest of their party. 

They were the first ones out, so he rode a short way on the path and stopped to wait for everyone else. He tightened the arm he had around Nyx and leaned down to nuzzle her neck. “Are you all right? You’ve barely said a word.”

She turned slightly and tried to get closer. He wrapped his other arm around her and hugged. “It didn’t occur to me that your father might toss me through the portal before he closed it. When your mother asked his intentions, I thought it was the end. I thought I’d never see you again, and…I wasn’t ready for goodbye.”

“It wouldn’t have been goodbye. He can’t close that portal instantly.”

“What do you mean?”

“I would have pulled you right back through or gone in with you. I’m not ready for goodbye, either.”

She started to say something when Thor joined them. He looked from Nyx to Loki and asked what was wrong. “Before you returned from Alfheim, Mother raised a point we hadn’t thought of. She believed Father might cast Nyx out before closing the portal.”

Thor looked aghast. “He wouldn’t.”

“He said he had no such plans, but it’s upsetting to us both. I was just telling Nyx that I won’t let it happen. If he casts her out, I’ll get her back or go with her.”

“Loki-.”

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Don’t bother, either of you. My decision is made.”

Thor patted his horse when he started to grow restless. “I was only going to suggest that you make it clear to Father. Tactfully, though. No threats.”

Loki snorted before he could stop himself. “He takes everything as disrespect, Thor. Especially from me.”

“Then perhaps I should speak to him.”

Nyx cleared her throat and they stopped talking. Their mother was riding up the path. She halted her horse on Thor’s right side and looked at them expectantly. “It’s rarely a good sign when the two of you are quiet. What were you speaking of?”

“Loki won’t accept losing Nyx. If Father casts her out, he’s going with her.”

“Thank you, Thor,” he said, exasperated. Thor was one to talk to him about being tactful.

Frigga appeared unsurprised. A ghost of a smile passed her lips. “He won’t go back on his word. And I’m sorry if I frightened you when I queried him; I didn’t want to take any chances. He’s given too much weight to that prophecy, I’m afraid, but we did have a discussion recently and he said he would think on it. Do not give up hope or do anything rash just yet.” 

“Thank you, Mother.”

Nyx sat up straighter. “Thank you, Frigga,” she said. It sounded like she was choking back tears and his eyes started to sting. He blinked rapidly and rested his cheek on the top of her head for a moment. When he’d regained his composure, he looked up again and adjusted their positions on the horse. Nyx quit on the proper way she’d been trying to sit and sagged against him. She placed her hand over his and squeezed.

“You’re welcome,” Frigga said. “Now here comes your father. Let’s keep the peace if we can. He’s got a lot to worry over and he’s grown weary.”

Odin stopped his massive horse and regarded them from his one unblinking eye. “She doesn’t ride?” he said to Loki.

He bristled at the tone, but kept his reply polite in deference to his mother. “No, but I’ve promised to teach her.”

“See that you do.”

“Have you forgotten all the times we rode together, dear?” Frigga asked with a raised eyebrow. Thor coughed and shot him a look. He was trying not to laugh. Loki turned his head so he wouldn’t be tempted to smile. Perhaps their mother didn’t want them causing trouble so that she would be free to do so.

“That was different.”

“It most certainly was not.”

He glared at her and Frigga blew him a kiss. Nyx became fascinated with the reins in his hand and Thor wheeled his horse around and coughed again. Luckily Frey, Alrek, and Grein rode up before Odin banished the lot of them. 

“Loki, lead the way and light the path,” his father barked.

He complied without a word and once they were in the forest, he addressed Nyx with the full knowledge that his father would hear him. “Will you be able to tell if anything’s amiss? Can you give us advance warning?”

“Yes.” She paused. “You would trust me, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course.”

Odin’s voice rang out. “If there are any complications, follow Loki. Nyx has an ability that we can use to our advantage.” Then, under his breath he growled, “Do not make a fool of me.”

“No, sir,” she answered, and he knew she was trying to be ultra polite.

“‘No, my king’” Loki quietly corrected.

“I’m sorry-.”

“You didn’t know.”

“Your mother would teach her all of this if you asked her,” Odin said dryly. 

“I would teach her what?” Frigga said from somewhere behind them.

“Proper address. Our customs. Things of that nature.”

“I would be delighted to. Nyx, dear, are you wanting instruction?”

He didn’t dare answer for her. His mother would have his head served with tea for dessert.

“Yes, please, my queen.”

“Very nice,” Loki praised. His father actually sighed.

“We could work a schedule out over a private lunch tomorrow,” Frigga suggested. “I so enjoyed our last one.”

“That would be lovely, my queen.”

“I’ll send for you around noon.”

“How much further?” his father interrupted.

“I’m not exactly sure. I’ve never traveled this particular path at night, and I confess it looks different in the dark, Father.”

“It’s not far,” Nyx whispered to him. “I can smell it.”

He smiled though he knew she couldn’t see it. He’d have to warn her about his father’s hearing, though. 

“You could have just said that to me directly, young lady.”

Or not.

“I apologize, my king. I meant no offense.”

There were whispers from behind, but Loki’s hearing wasn’t as razor sharp as his father’s. He couldn’t make out what was being said.

Nyx told him to stop after another ten minutes or so. He dismounted and reached up for her. “Hold on to me. You’ll trip on that dress out here.” He adjusted the light he was casting to make it brighter.

She did as she was told and they waited for the others to join them. Once everyone was there, his father turned to them. “Can we go through briefly so that I can see? How great is the danger?”

Nyx hesitated, obviously thinking it through. “It’s already been bombed, so the risk of there being more fires in that area is low. If time is passing normally, though, and there’s not some kind of lapse between here and there, it’s dark. And nilliths are more active at night. It would be better if I went alone to check first.”

“Absolutely not,” Loki said as soon as she finished speaking.

Frey approached and Frigga stepped aside to make room for him. “I apologize, All-Father, but this portal goes to Midgard? And what are nilliths?”

“No, Frey, I have a great deal to tell you. Nyx is from a group of worlds out in the void. I didn’t want to cause panic in the realms when she came with her guardian, Caden. If you’ll stay for a meeting when we’re done here, I’ll tell you all I know.”

Frey nodded and offered Nyx a slight smile. “I thought you a bit uncommon for a Midgardian. It appears I was right.”

“I’m sorry if you feel I lied to you.”

“Not at all. I’m sure you were doing as you were told.”

Odin nodded and continued to look at her for several seconds. “And the risk if you take Loki?”

She shifted her weight nervously. “I think we can protect each other for a few seconds, but I can’t guarantee his safety. What if we go through and land right on top of one?”

“I have Mjolnir. I’ll go with her,” Thor said.

“No,” Loki said. “I’m going.”

“I have a superior weapon, Brother.”

Like he needed to be reminded. “It matters not. I won’t let her go without me.”

“Silence!” Odin said, and again addressed Nyx, “is there anything we can do to better the odds?”

“Give me a weapon and send Loki. Magic is the bigger advantage.”

“Very well. What sort of weapon do you desire?”

“A knife. Something with a small handle, if possible.”

“Here.” Frigga went over to her horse and retrieved a dagger from a small bag.

Nyx unsheathed it and tested the grip and then the weight in her palm. “This is perfect.” She looked up at him. “Can you put up the smoke shield the second we go through? And hold my hand so we can’t be easily separated?”

“Yes, of course.” He drew his own dagger and took her left hand. “Are you ready?”

She nodded. They started forward and the last thing he heard was his mother’s quick inhalation as they stepped through the portal. It would have been completely black on the other side if it weren’t for the distant fires. He put the shield up and waited while Nyx looked around. She toyed with the dagger in her right hand and going by the ease with which she handled it, she was skilled in its use. He didn’t have an attraction for warrior women, or at least he hadn’t thought he did, but he got hard watching her. 

“Done. Let’s go.”

They stepped back through and rejoined the others. Odin was slightly off to one side scowling. “Well?”

“If you want to go, we need to hurry. There are nilliths in the area, about a kilometer away.”

His father walked ahead. “Loki, remain here.”

“What? Father, I-.”

“Come along,” he prompted Nyx. She gave him a pained look and hurried after his father. They stopped just before the portal and Loki teleported so he was behind them. “Do _not_ disobey me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting. I was lost in the editing and rewriting and second-guessing again.


	31. Take My Hand

CHAPTER 31

“My king, please take my hand.”

Her heart and mind were racing as she reached for Odin’s hand. She couldn’t think of a reason he was making Loki stay behind. Frigga had said her husband would keep his word, but traveling to Thirteen with him alone felt like a trap. The king gave her an inscrutable look and she thought for a second that he would pull his hand away. Instead, he laced his fingers with hers and started forward. She glanced over her shoulder at Loki. “Le ana nis,” she said softly.

“What? Nyx, what does that mean?”

“I’ll be right back,” she lied.

Odin plowed through the portal and she sucked as much air in as she could. The nilliths weren’t any closer, at least. She remained silent while he looked around.

“Such devastation. Is it always this way?”

“This was thorough for a first pass. They may have known about the base and targeted it.” She pointed. “That was the main building right there. The bodies are spread out like they didn’t see it coming.”

“And if they had seen it coming?”

“They’d be concentrated around the exits.”

Odin spared her a glance and then went back to staring at what was left of Caden’s base. “They were fighting on the ground against a vampire army the last time I spoke with Caden.”

She drew back in surprise. When Frigga told her the base was attacked, she’d assumed it was a typical takeover. “That’s…odd. He’s recruited a lot of the vampires.” She gestured with her hand. “The bombing had to be nillith, though. They’re the only ones with that kind of firepower. Plus they’re physically here in number, and that only happens during an invasion or once the world has fallen and they’re stripping it of resources or occupying it.”

“In number?”

“There’s a lot of them.” She pointed south.

“Can we get any closer to the base? I’d like to see for myself.”

It was risky. He gave her the impression it was important to him, though, and this was a man that happened to be making decisions about her future. “We can, but it’s dangerous at such a short distance. I never get closer than two kilometers if I can help it. We’ll have maybe three-quarters of one. There’s no margin for error…we’ll have to react instantly if they move.”

He considered her a moment and then nodded his head. “I would appreciate the opportunity if you think it can be done.”

“We should be quick about it. And silent. If I pull on your hand, it means we’ve got to get back to the portal.”

“That is acceptable. May I proceed?”

She started walking in answer to his question, and Loki’s father fell into step with her. The reek of nilliths, burnt flesh, and fire got up her nose and made her eyes water the closer they got. Once they reached the main building, Odin didn’t waste a lot of time. He wiped up a small bit of soot with the tip of one finger and rubbed it against his thumb absently, and then he walked the perimeter where he could. She thought he might have been counting bodies, but she wasn’t sure. Maybe he was looking for Caden. For all she knew, he had some way of picking him out even if he’d burned. She’d have to remember to ask Loki.

If she ever saw him again.

When Odin was done, he towed her back to the portal and stopped once more. “It’s safe to talk,” she said. 

“Do you truly wish to live on Asgard or within the nine worlds?”

She opened her mouth and squeaked out a yes, then cleared her throat and tried again. “I…yes, sir. I mean-.”

He gestured impatiently. “I offer no promises. I still have much to consider, but the fact remains that once the portal is closed, we may never find another. Your guardian may well have perished. If you go back through, it will be as an ally of Asgard, not simply a guest. You may be called upon as such in any capacity that I see fit, and your loyalty will be to the nine realms for as long as you remain. Do you agree?”

“Yes.”

“If your relationship with Loki has been a means to an end, I expect you to end it immediately.”

She bit back a tidal wave of angry words, not because he’d questioned her morals, but because he doubted Loki’s appeal. She could hear it in his voice. “And if it’s not?”

His expression was impassive. “You may continue on as you were. Is that your wish?”

“Yes.”

“Then so be it.”

He pulled her through the portal without another word and dropped her hand. Loki started forward from a few feet away and she met him in the middle. He bent to hug her and she would have climbed his legs if they were alone. “Are you unharmed?” he asked anxiously as he ran his hands up and down her sides and back, even skimming her front and bottom. His mother cleared her throat in an obvious way and he stopped.

“I’m fine.”

Odin put a hand out in front of the portal and lit it up. Loki shoved her behind him and one by one, they all contributed power. The portal was huge, though, and as more and more of it lit up, the harder it got to control. At least, that was the way it appeared. Odin, Frigga, and Loki all moved in closer and wrestled with it, and Thor was pulling lightning through Mjolnir and aiming it at the now swirling mass. Frey, Alrek, and Grein formed a half circle behind the others and each of them concentrated on a third of it.

Just when she thought they were going to fail, the light contracted down to the size of a large coin and then went out. Loki’s shoulders slumped, Thor’s arm dropped tiredly, Odin and Frigga fell toward each other, and Frey tried to hold Alrek and Grein up at the same time. It had drained them all. She slipped under Loki’s arm and put hers around his waist. “Can we go? Is there anything I can do?”

“Shall we depart, Father?” he asked. He was winded like he’d been running. 

Odin flapped a hand and started forward. Loki took the lead and lit the path again. “You’ll exhaust yourself,” she whispered.

“There’s nothing to be done about it. It’s too dark to get out otherwise and we’re all spent.”

They stopped beside his horse and he started to lift her up. “No, wait a second.” She left him where he was and ran ahead on the trail. It was murky once she left the ring of light he was casting, but she could see well enough. She went back to him. “I can run and get the guards or-.”

“No.” He picked her up and plopped her down on the horse, then mounted up himself.

She twisted around to look at him. “Why not? Do you think I can’t find my way out?”

His lips thinned and his brows came down. “As long as everyone can ride, it’s better if we just go. I’ll be fine.”

“But-.”

“No,” he growled, and she clamped her jaw shut and turned to face forward again.

The ride back to the stables was tedious. It didn’t take much longer than the ride in, but every minute felt like an hour to Nyx. Loki was killing himself to maintain the light around them. As soon as she saw a servant she waved him forward and when he got closer and saw their party, he turned and yelled for the others.

Another servant came and took the reins from Loki and led them inside the stables. She jumped down on her own and waited without a word. He climbed off and furtively held on to a leather strap for balance, but the servant was about to lead his horse away. She went to stand next to him and again wrapped an arm around his waist. “No one will know. Let’s go.”


	32. Alone in the Dark

CHAPTER 32

He was alone in bed. He looked around sluggishly and saw the shadows of dresses in his closet, so he knew it hadn’t been a dream. “Nyx?” he croaked.

She appeared in the doorway, backlit by the lights that were on in the adjacent room. “I’m here.”

He lifted his head, but it felt like it weighed a ton and he dropped it back on the pillow. His mouth was so dry that speaking was difficult; he was too weak to even light candles. The fingers of his right hand twitched to no effect. “Nyx.”

She crossed the threshold and came over to the bed. “What do you need?”

“Water.” He watched her turn and walk to the small table that rested against the opposite wall. He’d been keeping a vessel of fresh water and a couple of chalices there ever since her injury. She poured and returned to him, and he struggled to sit up. 

“Do you want help?”

“No, I’m fine.” He got himself situated and reached for the chalice. She handed it to him and turned to leave, causing him to choke on the first swallow. He coughed through it and took another drink to calm his throat muscles before speaking. “Where are you going?”

“Back to my book. Call out if you sink low enough to ask for my help.”

“You’re angry with me.”

“What was your first clue?”

He gulped down the rest of his water, set the chalice aside, and threw the covers back with every intention of getting up and going after her. He made it as far as the edge of the bed before his head started to swim. When he saw stars he was forced to lie back down before he passed out. “Is it because I wouldn’t let you go back to the palace alone in the pitch dark? You’re unfamiliar with the territory, Nyx, and you had a proper dress and slippers on. It was a wonder you didn’t break your neck when you went running off like that-.”

He heard her change direction and reenter his bedchamber. Her stomping was comical and he bit his lip to keep from laughing, which only made the pounding in his head worse. “Do you think I’m so stupid and uncoordinated that I can’t hold a skirt up and run at the same time?”

“Stupid and uncoordinated are not words I would use to describe you. Willful and brash come to mind, though.”

“Oh, you _ass._ ” She turned and left the room again.

“You’re proving my point, you know.”

“Shove it, Loki.”

He waited for the dizziness to pass and then tried sitting up again. He concentrated on his bare feet as he sat on the edge of the bed hoping that his head would stop pounding. He couldn’t remember taking his boots off. Nyx must have done it. “I don’t wish to fight with you,” he muttered. He pushed off the bed with his hands and stood on shaky legs. “I’d just gotten you back and you wanted to put yourself at risk again.”

“Of what? Skinning a knee?” she called back.

“You could have gotten lost! Attacked by an animal. You don’t even know what a damned cat is.”

“Yes, I do. It’s a predatory mammal with sharp teeth and claws.”

That was exactly what he’d told her, word for word. Irritated as he was, a smile tugged at his lips. “And a bilgesnipe?”

“Huge, repulsive beasts with scales and giant antlers.”

He stopped on his slow-going journey to the door and swayed, then got his balance back under control and continued on. Slowly. “I did not teach you that. Who did?”

“‘A Brief History of the Realm Eternal’.”

He finally reached the door to his bedchamber and sagged against the frame. “And how would you fight one off?”

“Really fucking carefully.” She paused. “You shouldn’t be out of bed.”

“I want to be where you are.” 

She was seated in the chair he most often sat in, and he wondered why she’d chosen it. It was large, certainly, but Nyx was petite and would have been comfortable on any of his furniture. Her hair was loose and she wore a simple nightdress that fell to her knees. She was curled up with her feet underneath her and a book in her lap. “What?” she asked defensively. He was staring, he knew, but it was still so surreal to be sharing his chambers with her. He pushed off the doorframe and started towards her.

“That’s where I usually sit-.” She unfolded her legs and put her feet on the floor, scooting forward. “No, no, I don’t want you to move. It’s just…you seem to favor the same spots that I do.”

“I favor them because they smell like you.”

He stopped in surprise and almost lost his balance. She was out of the chair and at his side so fast that he blinked down at her in confusion when she put her arms around his waist. “I’m not a Midgardian, Loki. Remember?”

“I’ve never seen you move that fast.”

Nyx shrugged. “I was motivated.” She started to steer him back to the bedchamber and he planted his feet.

“Are you going to stay with me? Because if not, we’ll be doing this again.”

“Now who’s willful?” she retorted.

He couldn’t keep up with this silly argument any longer. “I adore you, Nyxanya, but I’m not going to apologize for wanting to keep you from harm.”

She started for the bedchamber again and practically dragged him with her. “So I should enjoy your protection and never offer any in return. Is that it? Your mother looks after your father, you know. Sif looks after Thor. He may not notice it, but I damn sure wouldn’t throw a knife at his back.”

He sighed. “You can look after me now. I’m exhausted.”

“Convenient. No one’s around to see.”

“No one’s around to mock, either,” he snapped.

They reached the edge of the bed and she turned so he could sit. “Do you want to undress?” Her voice was soft, no longer holding a note of displeasure, and he jerked his gaze up to hers. Something cold slithered in his belly.

“Is this pity?”

She gave a small shake of the head and looked him in the eye for a second before she dropped her gaze. “I thought it was about me. I thought you didn’t want my help because you see me as…incapable. Fragile, even. It’s not just that, though, is it?”

He grabbed a handful of her nightdress and pulled as hard as he could. It was enough to make her pitch forward, and he let the momentum of her body push them both to the mattress. “I don’t see you as incapable, but you aren’t an Asgardian, either. I meant what I said about you being in unfamiliar territory. Did I not follow your instructions on Thirteen? This is no different.”

She was quiet and he used the time to try and think of ways to explain that would be palatable to her, but he had nothing. The bare truth of it was that it didn’t matter how capable she was, he had a primal drive to protect her and no desire whatsoever to resist it. 

“You sidestepped my question.”

“What?”

“I said ‘it’s not just that, though, is it’.”

“No. Any weakness on my part results in gossip and an endless stream of comments. Thor never misses an opportunity to remind me that he’s the warrior and I just have Mother’s tricks.”

He jumped when her hand moved up the back of his shirt. He hoped she wasn’t going to pat and soothe him like a child because he didn’t want that from her.

“Yeah? You should point that out the next time he’s looking to you to tell him what to do.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Do you think I haven’t noticed?”

“No one else does.”

Instead of replying, she continued to work her hand up his back. “Do you want this off?” She flicked his shirt. 

#

The next time he woke, his bedchamber was far too bright with the light of day. He waved a hand automatically to close the drapes, but nothing happened and he cursed under his breath. Or rather, into Nyx’s hair because her head was tucked under his chin.

“Loki?” she mumbled.

“Go back to sleep. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Her head came up anyway and she squinted against the light. “Can I close the drapes?”

“I tried to get them, but nothing happened. I’ll get up and see to them in a minute.”

She rolled off the bed before he could even attempt it and pulled both sets of drapes closed. The room went dark again and he felt rather than saw her climb back into bed. The irritating feel of cloth against his bare skin had him pulling at her nightdress. “Off.”

“Then help me with your pants. Your armor’s been digging into me for hours.”

He hadn’t realized he still had his pants on. He threw the covers off and reached for the ties. “I’m sorry,” he said. She pulled her gown over her head and tossed it aside and then helped him pull the leather down his hips.

“I tried getting them off a couple of times, but it almost woke you up and I didn’t want to do that.” Her hair brushed over his legs as she followed the pants to his feet and worked them off. “Are you feeling any better?”

He pulled her into his arms and stifled a small sigh. She was like warm silk against him. “Nothing hurts, but I’m empty of power still. I used everything I had.”

“The portal was huge. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

His thought processes sparked back up, at least. He remembered his unanswered questions. “Why didn’t you tell me about being able to smell nilliths?”

“It didn’t occur to me until it was relevant, and then I couldn’t say anything without Thor overhearing.”

His hands started to wander. Nyx didn’t seem to mind; she let him play. “As much as it pains me to say this, he’s not a complete imbecile, you know.”

She laughed. “I never said he was, but he’s not like us, either. You and I are strategists, Loki. We make plans. Thor tries, I think, but his first instinct is to punch his way out.”

He nuzzled her neck. “Mmmmm. That’s true, darling.” What was his next question? He sighed and pulled back, determined to get his answers before he got distracted again. “What took you and my father so long? I went mad waiting.”

“He wanted to see the base for himself.”

“But you said there were nilliths in the area.”

“There were. A lot of them too. I told him it was dangerous, but he was willing to risk it.” She paused. “He went around the perimeter and mostly looked at the bodies. Would he have been able to pick Caden out of that mess?”

He tightened the arm he had around her waist. “I don’t think so, but I can’t say for sure. Did you go undetected? What if they’d realized someone was there?”

She reached up and petted his hair. He was too tense to enjoy it. “They never knew or they would have come in force. We didn’t stay on the base for long, so that helped. As soon as your father was done, we went back to the portal. He asked if I truly wanted to live on Asgard and said if I went back with him it wasn’t as a guest, but as an ally.”

He went still. He should have known his father would make a demand of some sort, but this? “You agreed obviously. Were there any other conditions?”

“He said if I’d used you to end it.”

His body went cold all over and his fingers dug into her flesh before he could control himself. Nyx tensed. “Do you really think-.”

“No, no I don’t. Don’t be angry with me. I…I should be used to this. He asked me before we went to Alfheim if I detected any interference. A potion. Anything.”

She jerked back and sat up. The sheet fell and left her exposed from the waist up. “Why is it so hard to believe that I’m attracted to you?”

He tugged on her hand and tried to pull her back down, but Nyx wouldn’t budge. It was strange the way her anger settled him when it was on his behalf. This wasn’t the first time, either. “Well, Thor is available.”

“I don’t want Thor. I want you.”

“Maybe it is you that’s compromised.” He made light of her comment, but in truth the impact of her words stunned him. It was such a simple statement, boiled down to the heart: she wanted him and not his brother.

“That’s not funny, Loki!”

Only with her could he go from hurt to amusement to lust in the space of a minute or two. He eyed her nipples. They’d hardened in the cool air. He threw the sheet the rest of the way off and reached up with his left hand to thumb one of them. “I suppose not. You are irresistible to me, however. It must be a spell of some kind.” He smiled to make sure she knew it was a jest and took her hands. He kissed one and then the other.

She settled down on her stomach beside him, propped up on her elbows. He touched her cheek before brushing her hair back behind her ears. “I rather hoped you might lie on me instead of next to me.”

“Oh?” She crawled on top of him. “Like this?”

He kissed her in answer. Slowly at first, gently, and then with his hands wrapped up in fistfuls of hair and his tongue tangled with hers. Nyx broke it off, and he opened his eyes to flushed cheeks and heavy breathing. He moved his hands to the backs of her thighs and pulled her open. “Are you wet enough?” he asked, kissing and nipping his way down her neck.

“I-I think so.” Her nails sunk into his arms and Loki pushed her up so she was above him, straddling his hips. He reached between her legs and smiled. “There is none luckier than I in all of Asgard.” He gripped his cock at the base and held it until she moved over him and impaled herself, inch by hot, slick inch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long. I decided to add some things to 32 and made a mess of it -.- And I did three or four versions of the sex scene at the end before deciding it was overkill.


	33. The Queen's Library

CHAPTER 33

Frigga looked down at her husband and felt her own age. Closing the portal had exhausted her, but Odin…Odin was another story. The lines etched into his face looked as though they’d been made with a sharp, hot dagger and drained of blood. They were a precise and terrible reminder of his advanced years. She pulled the duvet up higher and tucked it in around his shoulders before she laid her hand against his cheek for a moment. When she turned to leave, he spoke, “Frigga, my queen.”

“I’m sorry, dear, I did not intend to wake you.” She sat upon the edge of the bed and accepted his hand when he pushed the covers back off and reached for her.

“How do you fare?”

“I am well. Tired, but well. It was quite a task, was it not? I haven’t used that much power in some time.”

“And Thor? Our guests? Loki?”

“All recovering. I’ve had servants reporting in whenever I awoke for a few minutes. I believe Frey is going to try and return to Alfheim with Alrek and Grein this evening. He said he will return for a meeting at your convenience.”

The lines about his face deepened when he frowned. “I was a fool to trust Caden. I should have investigated the way he got into Asgard or sent Thor. We were vulnerable to an attack, to bloodthirsty creatures that burn and consume everything in their path.”

She didn’t exactly disagree, and so remained quiet rather than seeking to comfort him. “Do you believe him dead?”

“It appears likely. I had Nyx take me to view the bodies.”

“Why did you force Loki to stay behind? Their faces broke my heart, you know.”

Odin sighed and struggled into a sitting position. “I allowed her to choose whether or not to return to Asgard. I thought it better that she not do so in front of Loki. I needn’t have bothered. She does not wish to be separated from him.”

Frigga waited for him to elaborate, and when he didn’t she prompted him. “What exactly did she say?”

“It wasn’t what she said. I told her I expected her to end it if the relationship was a means to an end, and she looked at me like she wanted to put her dagger to good use.”

She took a deep breath and reached for patience. _“Dearest-.”_

“It was a possibility, and a possibility that has been plaguing me. The girl’s been in a desperate situation with the weight of a prophecy on her shoulders. I’m not certain I could blame her if she did use him.”

Yes, but where had this awareness come from? He’d been turning a blind eye to Nyx’s circumstances from the very beginning. She wasn’t sure her husband had even seen her as an individual, let alone as an individual in a desperate situation. Frigga gently disengaged her hand from his and stood up to stretch her legs.

“I know you’re cross with me over the girl, Frigga. I haven’t forgotten, nor will I forget anytime soon, your attempt to behead me with a volume of poetry. I still have my reservations, and I don’t wish to be incautious, but for the time being I’m willing to leave Loki and Nyx be.”

“And what of the prophecy? You’ve been insisting we cannot interfere. Have you changed your mind because you believe Caden dead? What if he comes back?”

“If he comes back, I may kill him myself!”

She poured them each a chalice of wine and carried it over. They rarely drank in bed, but Odin was agitated and exhausted, and she was worried and tired. “The prophecy?” she said gently.

“I have to weigh it against what I saw today, which was ruin. Furthermore, now they are infighting. Caden was supposed to have an alliance with the vampires, yet it was vampires that attacked him on the ground. He’s destroyed my trust while Nyx has backed up her statements with proof. If she says he can’t win, perhaps it’s time I considered other options.”

#

Loki gave up waiting for her after three hours. He walked all the way across the palace to his parents’ rooms, found a servant, and asked where Frigga was because she’d sent for Nyx three hours ago. Hearing they were lunching in the queen’s library, he set off in that direction and was intercepted by his father through an open door. “Loki.”

The voice was soft and he thought about pretending he hadn’t heard. It would only further antagonize Odin if he realized, though. “Yes, Father?”

“I would speak with you.”

He turned and went to the door of his parents’ receiving room. Odin was reclining on a chaise and dressed as though he’d just come from bed. His skin was grayish and sickly. “Are you well?” he asked politely.

“I am still recovering. Sit.”

Given no choice, he entered the room and took the seat opposite his father. The eye roved over him at length, but he remained calm and still. “You are not entirely recovered, either. How does your brother fare?”

“Quite well. He used Mjolnir’s power for the most part and wasn’t as drained as the rest of us.”

Odin appeared satisfied with his answer. He looked to the door and then back to Loki. “You are in my halls looking for Nyx, I presume? She’s in the library with your mother learning manners. I checked on them an hour ago.”

“I thought they were only having lunch.”

“You know your mother. She turned it into a lesson.”

Yes, he did. His mother shared her magic and taught him to use it from an early age. She never wasted an opportunity to teach.

“When will you begin her riding lessons?”

The neutral tone came as a surprise. It wasn’t like Father hadn’t barked at him to see to it a couple of nights prior. “As soon as my powers are restored. Nyx suggested we combine lessons with making sure that was the only portal.”

His father’s eyebrow rose. “And were you going to discuss this with me?”

“Of course, Father.”

“How will you go about it?”

“Cover as much of Asgard as we possibly can. Nyx sniffed the other portal out. She’s not sure if they all give off a scent or if it was because Caden was traveling in and out, but as long as we’re riding…”

“She’s right. It makes sense to pursue it. If there are other portals and she can find them, it gives us the opportunity to close them before they’re discovered and exploited.”

“Yes.”

Odin smoothed his beard thoughtfully. “Do you desire your brother’s help with this task?”

“No.”

“Why not?” came the tired prompt.

“I’ll teach Nyx and she’ll check for portals. What is there for Thor to do?”

“You could accidentally go through another one. That is where your brother would be useful.”

“When we went through the last one I was able to pull Nyx back immediately. We aren’t going to go exploring her worlds if we find another. Certainly not with just the two of us.”

His father was so still he would have thought him sleeping if his eye weren’t open and focused. Loki began to fear he was going to have Thor and his friends thrust upon them regardless, and it wasn’t just that he didn’t need his brother’s help. He was looking forward to time away from the palace with Nyx. They could revisit their waterfall. They could go to a hundred other places he knew of. He wanted her to himself for awhile; the threat of separation wasn’t gone entirely, but it was diminished for the first time since their relationship had begun. She’d been different that morning, almost tender in the way she held him, and he wanted more. He wanted to know the Nyx that had hope for the future, no matter how fragile that hope was. 

“Very well, then.”

“What?”

“If you feel Thor will not be of use, so be it.”

“Thank you, Father.”

When he said nothing in return, Loki slid to the edge of his seat. “Shall I leave you to rest?”

He was waved back. “They cannot possibly take much longer. Let’s give them another few minutes and if they haven’t emerged by then, you can go and get Nyx. I don’t dare interrupt again myself.”

Curious as he was, he didn’t ask. They lapsed into silence and this time his father did fall asleep. After thirty minutes or so passed, he cleared his throat and got to his feet. His boots slapped the marble floor as he crossed the room, but Odin didn’t wake.

He went to his mother’s private library and knocked softly on the closed door. When she called out he pushed it open and waited to be invited inside. Nyx smiled the moment she saw him.

“Mother? May I come in?”

“Did your father send you?”

“Father is sleeping.”

His mother made a face and sighed. “Come in, dear.”

He went straight to Nyx and bent to kiss her cheek. “I was concerned when you still hadn’t returned after three hours.”

“It’s been three hours?”

“Three and a half, darling.”

“I’m sorry-.”

“She learned all the proper forms of address today,” Frigga informed him. She was reclining in her chair, pale blue silk dress arranged artfully. It was her expression that interested him, though.

“Mother, you look positively smug.”

“Nyx has an agile mind. My grandchildren will be brilliant.”

He opened his mouth and then closed it. A glance at Nyx almost made him laugh. She was flustered to the point of rapid blinking and pink cheeks. The remark had taken him by surprise and it was far too soon for his mother to be planning a nursery, but he wasn’t overcome with shock, either. He had no difficulty envisioning a future with her. The decision to follow if she were cast out had come easily, and he’d realized then that he wasn’t merely infatuated. He loved her. “Please don’t frighten her. Ours hasn’t been an ideal situation to date. It was only two days ago she feared banishment, and then Father made her return to Asgard conditional.”

Frigga sat up suddenly. “What?”

Ah, so he was right. Mother was unaware of that little fact. “Nyx was not permitted to return as a guest. She’s now an ally of Asgard.”

Frigga’s fists clenched at her sides and her brows lowered ominously. Sometimes it was hard not to look gleeful, he mused, and this was one of those times. “My apologies, Mother, I thought you knew.”

“He didn’t see fit to inform me,” she said through clenched teeth. Nyx gave him a look. If she didn’t know, she at least suspected that he’d baited the hook.

“It’s all right, Frigga. It was only a formality to me. My service and loyalty for as long as I’m permitted to stay is a fair-.”

“It is not. You should have been granted permanent residence.”

Nyx shrugged. “The king doesn’t trust me, so he made the terms clear. I can understand that. It was still the best offer I’ve ever had.”

Two thoughts. He had two thoughts, and they both wanted his undivided attention. The first was that his mother had just flatly disagreed with his father in front of Nyx. And her son, for that matter. She was usually far more subtle, and while he didn’t disagree with her opinion, it concerned him that she spoke out against her husband and king so blatantly. He wanted her on his side, not heading for a marital breakdown.

The second thought had to do with the way Nyx phrased her statement. It sounded as though there had been other offers and he wanted to know when and from whom. It also occurred to him that he’d focused on the present and future and neglected most of the past. He knew she grew up on Five and that she spoke Five, and he knew that Caden had been holding her prisoner. Everything else he knew was basic fact. He didn’t know how she’d lived her life. What her experiences were. He didn’t even know how old she was, or how long she’d live. What if her life expectancy was like that of a _Midgardian?_ What if-.

“Loki?”

He stopped and focused. “Yes?”

“Are you all right?”

“How old are you?” he blurted.

“Twenty-four. Why?”

“How long do…I’m 1048. An Asgardian lives five thousand years or so, but that’s without the golden apples.” He looked to his mother. How could he have been so remiss? He hadn’t even considered their ages.

“Dear, calm down, you mustn’t get ahead of yourself-.”

Nyx took his hand and squeezed it gently. “Shifters can be short lived, around fifty years or so, but the Regen Caden gave me will keep me from aging for several years. Vampires are immortal as long as they aren’t severely injured. We don’t know for sure about the darklings, but they were thought to live a thousand years or so. They created Regen to speed healing, actually. They may have used that to extend their lives.”

“Why is so little known about them?” his mother said before he could ask any of his own questions.

Nyx rubbed her thumb across his wrist in an obvious attempt to comfort him. “They were wary by nature. It was unheard of for them to live anywhere other than Nineteen.”

“Are there any other possibilities?” he wanted to know. “Or are you definitely one of the three?”

“There are other races, but it’s unlikely I’m anything outside of the three.”

He squeezed the bridge of his nose like the idiotic gesture could hold his emotions at bay. “Fifty years and half of them gone already.”

Nyx stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist. He refused to look down at her, though, for fear he would lose his composure. “We don’t know that I’m a shifter. It’s likely, but-.”

“With that nose? Surely you jest? And you do realize you have the instincts of a canine? I saw it as soon as you told us shifters sometimes behave like their animal.”

Her fingers dug into his sides and she gave his shirt a tug. “While I appreciate your logic, you don’t have all the facts. Vampires have sharp senses too, and they can scent track as well as, and sometimes better than shifters. And I wouldn’t rule out _any_ ability in a darkling. As far as having the instincts of a canine, maybe, but in the ones that behave like their animal, it’s usually pronounced. I don’t recall baring my teeth at anyone or growling over my food recently, but if I have, I hope you’ll let me know.”

“You said ninety percent of the orphans on all of the worlds are shifter mixes.”

“Yes, mianna, and that’s probably what I am, but it’s not certain. Caden and the other darklings are convinced I’m the one the prophecy is about. They went to insane lengths to find and capture me, and then to hold on to me.” She stretched up onto her toes and tucked his hair behind his ears. “Caden gave me a boatload of Regen, Loki. It won’t wear off for years. Wealthy shifters have kept going on it for millennia. There was a wolf pack on Five that was rumored to have eight thousand-year-old alphas. If you can’t bear not knowing for sure, we’ll search for a portal until we find one, and I’ll go steal the Regen formula or something. It has to be in a vault somewhere. The darklings gave it away for free, but the governments regulated it until only the very rich and powerful had access.”

Frigga held a hand up. She’d pushed herself to the edge of her seat. “Do not act in haste, my dears. We have the golden apples.”

“Father would not allow her to partake. She’s not Asgardian.”

His mother raised an eyebrow at him and Loki could only look at her in confusion at first. It finally came to him, though. He wasn’t thinking as clearly as he normally did. He brought his arms up around her and rubbed her back. The buttons on the back of her dress were rather annoying, so he moved one hand to caress her side and the other to the back of her head. His mother was watching, but he cared not. Nyx didn’t resist at all; she rested her head against his chest and settled in. “Mmmm, yes, there is that,” he murmured.

“Am I missing something?” Nyx asked.

“It’s probably better that you not know. At least for now.”

“Okay.”

He laughed. Mother appeared utterly shocked at first, but then she gave a small smile. She too was going to fall in love with his Nyx. He had no doubt. “Just like that? You’re too trusting.”

“Only with you.”


	34. Wait and See

CHAPTER 34

Frigga slammed the door with her hand not just because her magic was depleted but because it was also satisfying. Odin jerked awake and blinked, sitting up straighter at the same time. “My beautiful queen, you are upset?”

“Nyx is an Asgardian ally? When were you going to tell me?”

He sighed and reached up to rub his eyes. When he came to the patch, he dropped that hand and just rubbed the one. After all these years he still sometimes forgot. “I was giving her a title and something to think about. Her sworn loyalty. That kind of thing. And she’s proving useful thus far, so why not?”

“Why not?” she said incredulously. “Was the fact that our son loves her not enough to bring her back from a war zone?”

Her husband gestured impatiently. “Has Loki declared his love for her? He has not admitted it to me. He may yet tire of the girl; she’s the first to have shown him this kind of attention.”

She walked to a chair and sat stiffly. She refused to look at the candelabra she’d briefly considered throwing at her husband. “You forget that Loki does not always confide in you. I, however, have learned that he intends to follow her if you cast her out. Do you hear me? _My child will leave Asgard forever if necessary._ What is that if not love?”

Odin gaped and it only spurred her on. “Have you ever watched them together? Truly watched them? Have you seen the way it’s not just Loki protecting Nyx, but it’s Nyx protecting Loki? She’s not as obvious as he is, but make no mistake. Anyone that sought to do him harm would have to go through her.” She paused. “I could go on for some time. Loki didn’t hesitate for a second when I offered to move her things to his chambers, and you know how he is about his space-.”

“All right, Frigga,” he said. “Loki is in love. Thank you for clarifying that. I won’t send Nyx to the front lines of any battles, nor will I cast her out unless she betrays our trust in some unforgivable way. Are my terms acceptable?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Do not be patronizing with me, Husband.”

“I made mistakes in my dealings with Caden, and I’m trying to be cautious with Nyx as a result of that. I’ve told you this repeatedly. I have no plans for the girl aside from waiting and watching. I can’t deny that she’s been a positive influence on Loki. Furthermore, it would be foolish to disregard Finna’s comments. If Loki and Nyx are a true and perfect match, it would be a crime against nature to separate them.” He stopped for a breath. “Is that satisfactory, or am I still being patronizing?”

“You’re saying the right things, but the tension in your face is telling me something altogether different. I can’t disregard your actions, either. There was no need to make Nyx return as an ally. He won’t voice it, but Loki feels slighted. Again. If this were Thor and Sif, you wouldn’t have asked it of her.”

Odin leaned forward. “Sif is an Asgardian. We’ve known her since birth, Frigga.”

“Is that all it is?”

He hesitated long enough for her to know it wasn’t. “It’s happened too fast. I don’t like not knowing what she is. I’ve had only a brief visit to one of her worlds, and it was a gruesome scene that she walked as if it were an everyday occurrence. All of this worries me, but I have decided to wait and see. That is the best I can do for now.”

“But you will give Nyx a chance? Truly?”

“Yes.”

She reached for his hand.


	35. Le Ana Nis

CHAPTER 35

Alfheim’s beaches were prettier, she thought. Asgard’s were nice, but they didn’t have the turquoise water and pure white sand.

“Nyx.”

She looked up and saw that she’d fallen behind again. It was her third day of riding lessons with Loki. “Sorry.” She urged the horse on and then slowed her again when they reached him.

“You’ve got the basics down, but you need to practice,” he scolded.

“Sorry,” she said again. Her face heated.

“I’m putting you on another horse tomorrow. You’re bored, I think.”

He was becoming far too adept at reading her. “Are we stopping anytime soon? I’m getting sore.”

Loki grinned. “And now you’re lying to me.”

She made a face. “Isn’t the path to the waterfall near here?”

“Yes, and that’s where we’re headed, though it was supposed to be a surprise.”

She could have done backflips, and might have if she weren’t sitting on a damn horse. Sex, swimming, and something other than riding around at the approximate speed of a dying turtle. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“Really?” His eyes flicked over her, assessing. She was going to have to come up with something interesting. Or suck him. He turned to jelly when she took him in her mouth. She pictured it for a second and then stopped and gave herself a mental shake. Her mind was a whirling mass of disorder and it had been from the moment Odin asked if she wanted to live on Asgard. “Nyx?”

“Mmmmm.”

“And I’ve lost you again.” Loki brought his horse up against hers and jerked her right off its back. She landed in the space between his legs and shifted to look up at him. “Tell me now.”

“What?”

He cupped the back of her head and searched her face like the answer was there if only he could decipher it. “You’re distracted and your mood changes with the wind. I want to know why.”

She sighed and dropped her head to his shoulder. “I’ve been running for so long that I don’t know how to stop. I don’t know if I should stop.”

“I thought it might be something of that nature.” The fingers of one hand combed through her hair and smoothed out the tangles. She should have let Serra braid it before her riding lesson, but her lesson with Frigga ran late and she didn’t want to keep Loki waiting. “I spoke privately with my mother yesterday and she said that Father is wary but has no plans to cast you out. He intends to ‘wait and see’.”

“But what happens if Caden comes back? I’m not convinced he’s dead.”

“Father is displeased with him, to put it lightly. Your best course of action, or rather, _our_ best course of action is to prove your worth, both as an ally and as my…well, as mine.”

“If I’m doing something wrong, tell me.”

“You’re not. I only want you to be aware that he’s watching. Mother says you’re doing well with your lessons.” He stopped fiddling with her hair and dropped his hand to her back. “And cease this worrying; you aren’t going anywhere with Caden. We’ll escape to Midgard or one of the other realms if we have to.”

She didn’t know what to say, so she kissed him instead. When his tongue pushed into her mouth, she tried to wind a leg around him. He pulled back. “No. You’re riding to the waterfall on your horse. Not on your Loki.”

“Oh, you think you’re funny?”

“Well, yes.” He picked her up and dropped her over the side. She landed on her feet at least. It would’ve been embarrassing to fall on her ass. “Now let’s see you mount up.”

She didn’t try to show off. She got on the horse exactly as he’d taught her. “Well?”

“Perfect. Now follow-. Damn.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Thor.”

“Thor what?”

“Thor’s coming this way.”

She turned the horse and sure enough, there was a rider in the distance. “How do you know it’s Thor?”

“I can feel Mjolnir when it’s nearby.” His eyes held hers. “No one else knows that.”

“I won’t say anything.”

They waited for Thor to reach them. Even on a horse galloping at full speed, it took a few minutes. Nyx was surprised to see him alone. He always had Sif and the Warriors Three with him when outside of the palace. Or, at least, she’d thought he did. “Brother, Nyx,” he said in greeting. “You’re wanted at home.”

“For what purpose?” Loki asked.

Thor pushed his hair back when it blew in his face. “Frey and some of the light elves came to speak with Father. An impromptu feast is being put together, and Mother is worried about getting Nyx ready in time. I think she’s hoping to ease the tension with romance.” He grinned at Loki. “She wants you shined up too.”

He hid it extremely well, but Loki was put out. She read it in the tension that rippled through him, barely perceptible, and the tightening around his eyes. Unfortunately, so did Thor. “Come now, Loki, surely you don’t need the whole afternoon to give Nyx a riding lesson? Or did you have something else planned this day?”

She might have ignored the barb if not for the emphasis on “riding lesson.” “Come now, Thor, surely you don’t need your brother to draw you a picture, or has it been that long?”

Thor’s eyes widened and Loki snickered. He regained his composure quickly, though. “We’ll return to the palace immediately.”

“See that you do.”

She started to say something but Loki cut her off with a slight shake of the head. Thor turned his horse and left in a spray of sand.

“Troublemaker,” Loki said affectionately.

“What’s his problem?”

“He was having a bit of fun at my expense and you ruined it for him.”

#

Frigga was pacing the main entry when they returned to the palace. Servants ran back and forth and there were so many conversations going on at once that there was an indistinct—but loud—buzz echoing in the cavernous space. The effect was unsettling; it reminded Nyx of a rooming house she’d lived in shortly after aging out. There was an airstrike in the middle of the night that knocked the power out, and the halls had filled with smoke and panic.

“Nyx?”

She looked up to find Loki searching her face. “What?”

“What’s the matter?”

“I-.” She didn’t want to explain. “It’s nothing.”

“So nothing has sent you up against my back? You’re shaking, you know.”

Frigga had reached them and started to talk. When she saw something was going on, she stopped. “Whatever is the matter?”

Nyx waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “The noise and commotion took me off guard. I’m fine.”

Frigga put a hand on her arm as though she understood, and Loki started them off down the hall without comment. “So Thor said we need to get ready for a feast this evening?”

“Yes. I’m sorry to have cut your riding lesson short, but we’ll need the extra time to get you dressed properly. The light elves will be looking forward to seeing the two of you. Especially after all this unpleasant business.”

“So Father is telling Frey all of it?” Loki asked.

“I believe so, yes.”

They arrived at Loki’s door a few minutes later. Serra was waiting in the hall along with an older woman. “Nyx, this is Isibel. She’s here for a quick peek at you and to take a couple of measurements.”

She started to nod, but thought better of it and replied formally, “Yes, my queen.”

Loki opened the door and stood aside. Frigga, Serra, and Isibel rushed in with Frigga leading the way to her dressing room. Nyx followed obediently and tried not to appear shocked when Frigga shut the door behind them and Serra started undressing her. “We’re in a terrible hurry, my lady,” she explained.

“Your dress for this evening isn’t yet finished. I’d intended it for another occasion,” Frigga said. “Isibel is our best seamstress. She’s going to want to measure once you’re undressed.”

Nyx got up on the pedestal that was being shoved into place. She remembered at the last second that she had a fitted camisole on but no underwear, and tried to think of what to say when Serra started to rapidly unlace her pants. She looked down in a panic and discovered green silk panties. Loki must have known and magicked them on without her even noticing. “My lady, you have two camisoles?”

Of course. He’d assumed she’d gone without that too. “I, ah-.”

“Nyx has more through the chest than an Asgardian. She would need extra support for riding,” Frigga said.

“A corset would be appropriate,” Isibel said.

“She finds them uncomfortable, but then, none fit her properly,” Frigga said in a snappish way. The older seamstress appeared unfazed and Nyx watched the byplay with interest. Or she did until Isibel stepped up onto the platform and wound a tape around her chest and pulled it tight.

“I can see why.”

She held still, but the process made her uncomfortable. Isibel was matter-of-fact about all of it, but that didn’t change the fact that she was touching her and making little sounds of disapproval. When she finished, she stepped back down and Frigga smiled in a way that made Nyx think of an alpha wolf. She was beautiful and regal and would rip your throat out in a second if you threatened her pack. “Do you have what you need, Isibel?” 

The older woman scowled. “Yes, Queen.”

“You have two hours. I suggest you get to work.”

When Isibel had swept out of the room, Nyx got down from the pedestal and took the robe Serra handed her. Frigga came over and put a hand on her back. “I hope you didn’t take her comments or rudeness to heart. She’s a bit…touched, I’m afraid.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“She’s crazy,” Serra said, and then clapped a hand over her mouth. Nyx laughed and Frigga looked like she was trying not to.

“You and Loki will need to bathe since you’ve been out riding. We’ll come back in an hour?”

#

Loki was fiddling with something at his desk when she walked in. “Your mother wants us to take a bath.”

“She mentioned it.” He didn’t look up from what he was doing. “Go on. I’ll be there in a moment.”

Nyx turned and went back into the dressing room. She started for the connecting door to the bath, but then stopped in front of the mirror and pulled her robe off. She was short with a flat belly and big breasts for her small frame. She turned to the side and checked her butt, wondering if it was the right size. She looked nothing like the tall, willowy Asgardian women. She fit in with the light elves better.

Loki came in and stopped when he saw her standing there. “What are you doing?”

“Looking.”

“That’s fairly obvious, but why are you glaring?”

“I don’t fit in here. My tits are huge.”

“Your tits are glorious and I love them. Come to the bath.”

She frowned at his reflection but turned to follow him nonetheless. His clothing disappeared along the way. There wasn’t a damn thing wrong with _his_ form. “I’m too short for you.”

He snatched her up with one arm and lifted her to eye level. “What’s this all about?”

“Dresses that don’t fit me.”

“That’s because they weren’t made for you. They’re being altered to fit.”

Tears came to her eyes and Nyx couldn’t believe she was actually about to fucking cry over clothes. She hugged Loki and discreetly dug her nails into her arms in an attempt to snap herself out of it. “The new one is being made for me, but none of the corsets will fit right so then the dress won’t, either.”

“Then Isibel’s being difficult on purpose and should be put in her place. Do not let that old hag upset you.” Loki let her slide down his body slowly as he set her back down on her feet. He sighed. “I’m truly cross this ruined our afternoon. I was going to let you use your mouth on me.”

She gave a short laugh and followed him down the stone steps into the bath. It was unbelievable how quickly he could refocus her attention. A flick of his wrist made the water froth and when he sat down on one of the built-in benches along one side, she went to stand in front of him and then straddled his lap. “We have an hour until your mother and Serra return.”

His thumbs moved lightly over her nipples, but it was his smile that told her she was in trouble. He’d been like that all day. He was playful with an edge she wasn’t quite used to. She didn’t know if it was his irritation showing or if they’d cleared the first best-behavior hump that came with a new relationship. And how would she know anyway? There was Mace and then there was Loki, and that was it. She was hardly an authority.

“I think not. You’ve been a bit of a bad girl today.”

“What?”

“Mmmm. A liar, I think. Trying to tell me you were sore when you just wanted to stop riding. Then there was that business when we got back to the palace, and just now you had the audacity to look upon the body that I adore with distaste.”

“It’s my body!”

His expression was hard to read. Smug, maybe. His hands slid around her rib cage to rub small circles on her back. “Not entirely. You’re mine now. This is all mine.” He leaned forward and flicked a nipple with his tongue and she felt it all the way down. Her thighs tightened involuntarily and he flicked the other one. “Tell me that you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” she said automatically. And it was true even though it stunned her. It needed to go both ways, though. “Do I get a claim too?”

His eyes flew to hers. “My mother mentioning grandchildren completely unnerved you. Do you want a promise from me?”

“You can say ‘I’m yours too’ without saying ‘let’s have babies’.”

His chin lifted ever so slightly but it was his hand going to her belly that made her muscles clench. “I am yours. Babies can wait, my princess.”

He was watching too closely for the word princess to have been a slip of the tongue. Was he actually considering-.

“You’ll have me as a lover but not as a husband.” He lifted her off his lap and set her firmly aside. The hurt in him masqueraded as anger, but he wasn’t convincing.

“How do you draw these conclusions, Loki? Really. I want to know.”

He ignored her and instead handed her a bottle of shampoo. His movements were jerky and awkward. “How much time do we have?” he asked, though he knew damn well.

She slammed the bottle down on the stonework and cracked it. “I asked you a question, _mianna_.”

His shoulders drew up and he glared at her. “It’s fine, Nyx. I understand-.”

“No, you don’t.”

That pissed him off. He stood up suddenly and towered over her. It was a hell of a time to get an eyeful, but when had she ever turned down a good look at him? He’d caught her, though. He fisted his cock. “Is this what you want? I won’t deny you, lover. Stand up and I’ll let you have it.”

She stayed where she was and tipped her head back so she could look at his face. “Le ana nis, Loki.”

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion and the hand stroking his length stalled, but then, he didn’t know what she’d said.

“Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.”

He dropped his hand. “Le ana nis? You’ll be right back? That’s what you told me when-.”

“I lied.” She stood up, but she still had to crane her neck to look him in the eye. “Le ana nis,” she repeated. “I love you, Loki.”

He stared at her until she felt utterly exposed. She’d said it, though, and couldn’t take the words back even if she wanted to. They hung in the air, premature, unreturned, and it was evidently her turn to feel rejected. Why the fuck had he dangled himself as a husband and called her his princess if he didn’t feel the same? All she’d wanted was for him to say he was hers too. She backed up a small step and wrapped her arms around herself, covering her breasts. “Why do this to me? Is it a game to you?”

“What?”

She took another step back and hit the edge of the bench, so she inched right. Running away was starting to look like a good plan. “Why say that to me? ‘You’ll have me as a lover but not as a husband’ if you don’t…if you aren’t thinking of…” The muscles in her throat were closing fast and she didn’t dare blink. Not even once. “I thought you had to feel the same way if-.” Her voice cracked and she bolted. She just couldn’t stand there anymore.

“Nyx!”

She heard the water splash but she was well ahead of him. She made it as far as the dressing room and had her robe in her hand when he teleported in front of the doorway, blocking her exit. She’d no sooner stuck her arm in the first sleeve when he did it again and materialized right in front of her. “Darling, no.” He took her face in his hands but she refused to look at him because she was furiously trying to blink back tears. Loki dropped to his knees. His hands slipped down and he held her by the hips. “I love you too. Nyx, _I love you too_. I am thinking of it, of marrying you, and I shouldn’t have hinted around that way, but you were so stunned when Mother made that comment that I couldn’t help…I thought maybe you didn’t see a future for us.”

She swiped a hand under her eyes. “Don’t say that if you don’t mean it. Just don’t.”

“I love you, Nyxanya of Five. Le ana nis.” He dug his fingers into her hips and buried his face in her belly before pulling back to look up again. “I know it’s too soon and Father won’t give his permission, but I would marry you tonight if I could. I swear it. I declare it. Be mine, darling. Be mine forever.”

“Don’t start reciting poetry, Loki. Shit.”

He laughed and let go of her to hold his arms open. “I, Loki Odinson, ask you, Nyxanya of Five, to marry me. Be it today, tomorrow, or a year from now, in this moment I swear my love and my loyalty. Please be mine, and I shall be yours.”

“What if your father says no?”

“I prefer to have his permission, but it’s not absolutely necessary. He may banish us, though.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

“How is this any different from me following if you’re cast out?” His arms tensed. He was still holding them open to her. “I am on my knees for you. Either you accept me or you don’t, but know this: the only way I’ll let you go is if you wish it.”

“Damn it, yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.” Tears streaked down her face, and she threw herself at him. His arms closed tightly around her and then released long enough for him to rip her robe off and fling it aside.

“I thought you were going to say no.” His voice was hoarse. He held her tightly against him and rested his cheek on the top of her head. Her hands met behind his back and she tried again with digging her nails into her arms, but she couldn’t stop crying. Loki must of felt something, because he pulled back and tried to get a look at her face. “What was that?” He unwound her arms and looked at the gouges in her flesh. “Nyx!”

She jerked her hands away and shrugged. “I can’t stop crying.”

“You don’t have to. I’ve just mishandled our engagement so badly that it’s a wonder you’re still speaking to me.” He paused and looked at the rapidly fading marks once more. “Do you do this often?”

“Not really.” She laughed, if you could call it that. “I’m not usually a crier.”

He put his fingers over the marks and healed them instantly. “Is it so awful you have to hurt yourself?”

She didn’t understand why he was so stuck on it. “It’s not like I’m going to flay myself, you know. It’s just a trick I learned from a girl at school.”

“A child taught you that?”

“Yes, and it’s not a big deal. I only wanted to stop.”

After a moment’s pause he pulled her in for a kiss that ended too soon. “We’d best get your hair washed. Mother is on edge about this business with the elves.”

She nodded and allowed him to pull her to her feet. They went back to the bath and she washed her hair while Loki quickly scrubbed them both down. When he was finished he turned the tub into a shower and rapidly rinsed them both. “You…I thought you only took tub baths.”

He looked amused. “I take whatever I want. Do you prefer the shower?”

“Sometimes. Especially with my hair.”

“I can have a regular one installed if you’d like.” He conjured towels once they’d cleared the last step. “We have twenty minutes until Mother returns.”

Nyx used a second towel to squeeze the water from her hair. “Do you think I should go comb out?”

“No. Serra will take care of it.” He secured his towel at his waist and walked over to a large lounging chair in the corner and dropped down on it. “I would dearly like to have a few minutes with my fiancée, if you don’t mind.”

She couldn’t help her grin. Or the feeling that they’d tripped into it. She went over to him and he pulled her down on his lap. “Are you sure, Loki? The conversation kind of got away from us.”

“Yes, I am. I’ve been trying to figure out how to keep you practically from the start. The conversation may have gotten away from us, but is it not better this way? To know we both want the same thing?” He combed her wet hair back behind her ears and smiled faintly. “We do, yes?”

“Yes.” She didn’t hesitate. She probably would have agreed to anything.

The outer door opened and Nyx started to get up, but he held her in place. She looked down to find them both dressed in robes. “Mother’s returned early. Do you mind if I tell her?”

“Of course not.”

“Loki? Nyx? I am a few minutes early, I’m afraid. I’ll just wait out here if you’re still in the bath,” Frigga called out. Nyx stood up and Loki followed. They walked out to the main room holding hands. “There you are. Is everything all right?” 

“I’ve asked Nyx to marry me, Mother. She said yes.”

Frigga clapped a hand over her mouth and then laughed as her eyes got shiny with tears. “Oh, goodness. I’m so very happy for you both!” She rushed forward and hugged them. When she stepped back, she quickly wiped her eyes and fixed them with a more serious expression. “It’s your decision, of course, but I think you should keep this to yourselves for a bit.” She placed a hand on Loki’s arm. “Give your father time to get used to the two of you together, and then ask his permission properly.”

“I will.” His mother let go and he turned to Nyx. “Is that acceptable to you?”

Her voice cracked. “It’s fine, yes.”

Frigga sniffed delicately and came forward again. She placed her hands on either side of Nyx’s head. “My dear, you’re red and weepy. These are tears of joy, I hope.”

“I pushed,” Loki admitted. “I was foul tempered about it and we fought.”

She gave him a stern look before turning back to Nyx. “Are you all right? Are you happy with the decision? You do not have to rush into anything.”

“I’m happy, Frigga, I’m just a little overwhelmed.” And she was. Her head was spinning. She was having trouble adjusting to the turns her life had taken over the past couple of days and now Loki wanted to marry her. She didn’t want to admit it to him, but she hadn’t been thinking long term. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him. It was the list in her head of all the things that could go wrong. No amount of saying Caden couldn’t get to her had stopped her from looking over her shoulder. It was reflex, and it was survival, and in a way, it was normal. Staying in a palace and wearing dresses and sleeping with a prince was so far outside of anything she’d ever experienced that it was still surreal at best.

“Here.” Frigga held her hands lightly against Nyx’s cheeks and she felt them cool. Her puffy eyes and blotchy skin were undoubtedly fixed. “I wish I could send you two out to the gardens for some quiet time, but we’ve got to get you ready.”

She turned to Loki and stretched up for quick kiss. “Stop with the guilt. Le ana nis.”

His lips moved to her forehead and he placed a kiss on it gently. “Le ana nis, Nyxanya.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I can say is to hell with this chapter. It's been driving me batshit, and I've gone back and forth with myself and with re-writes for as long as I can. I hope it's not as cheesy as the first draft, but I do see Loki rushing to lock Nyx down, and I do see Nyx starting to crack under pressure. I took the crying & scratching/nail digging thing out and put it back four times. I thought maybe it was too late to introduce as a coping mechanism, but at the same time I can argue that she's gradually letting her guard down around him. It was also important that they see it differently. It is absolutely appalling to Loki with his privileged, royal upbringing and it's no BFD to Nyx, who was raised in a more primal, survival-of-the-fittest setting.
> 
> Anyway, I'm sorry it took so long. I'd love to hear your thoughts...leave me some comments and you'll get another chapter out of me this weekend. 36 is almost ready to go ;-)
> 
> Oh, and as always, thank you so much for reading. It means the world to me.


	36. The Presentation Walk

CHAPTER 36

He was summoned to the throne room an hour before the feast was to begin. Nyx was still in her dressing room with Serra and a couple of other handmaidens, and Loki had yet to change into his formalwear. 

There were only two guards stationed outside, and when he entered he found himself alone with his father. Odin was slumped into the left corner of his throne with his head resting atop one fist. He looked up when the doors closed and waved Loki in. He stopped a short distance from the golden stairs leading up to the king’s throne and kneeled. “Father, are you well?”

“I cannot put off the Odinsleep much longer, I’m afraid. I’m not recovering from closing the portal as I should.” He motioned with one hand. “You may rise.”

He did. His father looked at him without speaking for several moments. The throne room was too warm and sweat started to form at his hairline. He kept still, though.

“Your mother informs me that Nyx is a fast learner.”

“It depends on the task. She did well with her riding lessons at first, but she detests practice. I had difficulty keeping her focused this afternoon.”

“Put her on a more lively mount. That will get her attention.”

He smiled. “I thought of that too.”

“I’ve spoken to Frey at length, and told him all I know of her worlds and the threat to the nine. He is uneasy about the darkness in the void and has asked that you and Nyx return with him to Alfheim for another brief stay.” Odin rose from the throne slowly; he used Gungnir for balance and to Loki’s surprise, descended the stairs to stand before him. “I hesitate to grant the request at this time.”

“Whatever you think is best, Father.”

“How much of Asgard have you covered?”

Ah, so he didn’t want them leaving until the search for portals was finished. Being needed was not only a novel experience, it was an intoxicating one. He struggled to keep a serious expression. The boy in him wanted to jump up and down and pump his fist in the air. That it was Nyx doing the sniffing mattered not. She was his. They wouldn’t have discovered her ability without him. She wouldn’t have trusted anyone else. And Frey had asked for them both. The ruler of Alfheim respected him and his knowledge of magic. “Very little. We’ve only just started.” He paused. “We could halt Nyx’s lessons with Mother and focus on searching out portals, if-.”

“Yes. Do that. And have her ride with you if it’s faster. She has plenty of time to learn.”

“If I may…has something changed? Was Frey’s request urgent?”

His father started to walk. His gait was unsure and he leaned on Gungnir heavily. Loki hesitated a moment and then offered his arm. Odin also hesitated, but he took it. Together they walked the length of the throne room. “He says there’s a subtle change in the darkness, but with this news…it has increased his concern. I can’t help wondering if perhaps it’s a manifestation of his worry.”

Loki thought back to the day they’d left Northern Alfheim. “Nyx felt something was off when we were leaving his cabin in the north. She was tired and not feeling well, though. We walked around a bit and she decided it was her and not the darkness. It did feel slightly more intense to me, however. I too wrote it off as nothing. I’d been conserving power for the trip back to the palace and was hypersensitive.”

Odin stopped at the doors and turned his head at an awkward angle to see him better. “That does give more weight to Frey’s concern. Finish your search of Asgard as quickly as possible. You shall have any support you require to expedite the process.”

#

Nyx was perched precariously on the arm of a chair when he entered his chambers. “Darling.” The gown she had on was in his exact shade of green. His pin was between her breasts for all to see, and her hair was adorned with emeralds.

“Your mother and Serra did all the work.”

He crossed the room and kissed her cheek before taking her hand. “You can sit if you’d like. I’ll hold your gown up so it doesn’t wrinkle.”

“I’m fine here. You need to get ready, don’t you?”

He spelled his best formalwear and helmet on. Nyx looked him over. “Is that different armor?”

“Yes. Mother’s dressed you carefully, I’d best look princely.”

“When do we leave?”

“In just a few minutes.” He searched her face. “Aren’t you going to ask what Father wanted?”

She shrugged. “I’m curious, but I know it may not be any of my business.”

“You’re going to be my wife. Everything I do is your business.” He watched her watch him for a minute. “Nyx, are you all right? Is this too much for you right now?”

She slid off her seat and walked around the back of the chair and over to one of the bookcases before she turned to face him again. “It’s a lot to process. What if your father says no? I don’t want you to be banished, Loki. You’re all matter-of-fact about it, but I’d be ruining your life.”

He made his way over to her slowly because he wanted to soothe her, not make her more anxious, and he had a feeling that if he rushed it wouldn’t go well. “I don’t think it will come to that. Father’s beginning to value what you can do for Asgard. He’s nothing if not practical, and if allowing us to marry will benefit the realm, he’ll say yes. He’s just given me orders to stop your lessons with Mother and your riding lessons so that we can concentrate on searching for portals. Frey has requested our presence on Alfheim, so as soon as we know Asgard is secure, we’ll be going there. And his exact words were ‘she has plenty of time to learn’.”

Her reply was cut off by his chimes. “We have to go. I’m so sorry, but we cannot be late to this.”

“It’s fine.” She followed him to the door, and once they were out in the hall she took his arm. Thor came out of his room seconds behind them dressed in his best formalwear.

“Brother,” Loki said in greeting. “Still using my chimes?”

“I knew you’d set them.” He nodded to Nyx in greeting. “My lady.”

“Thor.”

“Have you spoken to our parents?” Loki asked. “Father has told Frey all of it.”

“I heard. I have not heard how he took it.”

“He’s worried about the darkness in the void. He’s requested Nyx and I make a return trip to Alfheim.”

Thor glanced over at him and they fell into step together. “Do you think it’s connected to the other worlds?”

“Anything is possible.”

They turned right at the end of the hall and started down the next one. Nyx was quiet, but she worked up a smile for anyone that greeted them. When they reached the largest of the banquet halls, there was a line going in and they were soon joined by Sif and the Warriors Three. Thor brought them up to speed and then asked him when they were leaving for Alfheim.

“Not until we’ve finished looking for portals. Father’s told me to halt Nyx’s lessons with Mother and her riding lessons for now.”

“You’re a busy guest of Asgard, Lady Nyx,” Fandral joked.

Nyx laughed weakly. “She’s an ally now. Father made her return through the portal conditional.”

“What?” Thor said, scrunching up his face like he’d tasted something bad.

“You know how he is.”

“So you’ve taken an oath?” Sif asked her directly.

“Yes. My loyalty and service to the nine realms for as long as I remain.”

“And are you loyal? Do they have that where you’re from?”

Loki exchanged glances with his brother and Volstagg and Fandral gaped at Sif. Hogun was not expressive, but then, he rarely was. 

“No. We’re mostly liars and thieves.”

“Which is your strong suit?”

“Oh, thieving, definitely.”

Loki turned his head to the side and bit his tongue. Thor said, “Well, you’ve certainly stolen my brother’s affections.”

The joke, bad as it was, served its purpose and Sif and Nyx backed off. Sif moved away from them and Loki stepped into a gap in the crowd, placing Nyx in front of him. When he was sure they were out of earshot, he laughed. “Shall I lock up the royal jewels?”

“What for? Your mother keeps putting them in my hair anyway.”

He bent and carefully placed a kiss on the top of her head. “It’s beautiful tonight, by the way. Emeralds suit you.”

A hand on his shoulder. He didn’t have to look to know it was Thor. “Brother?”

“We’re wanted in the holding room. A guard just signaled me.”

They made their way out of the line and walked with Thor. “What’s happening?” Nyx asked.

“Just a formality. For certain events the guests of honor and royal family make an entrance last.”

Two guards held the large golden doors open as they approached and Thor stepped aside to let them go first. Frey and Alrek were inside along with a servant that was hovering nearby. They stood up and came forward, Frey first and Alrek slightly behind. “Prince Loki and Lady Nyx. Prince Thor. Greetings.” Frey reached for Nyx’s hand and kissed it before moving on to shake hands with Loki and Thor. Alrek, he saw out of the corner of his eye, lingered over Nyx’s hand. “It’s good to see you looking well.”

“And you, Frey,” Loki said, reclaiming Nyx with an arm about her waist. She leaned in and made a small sound when she came up against his armor.

“I had a meeting with your father. Have you spoken to him yet?”

“Yes. He summoned me a short while ago and told me of your concerns.”

Frey looked to Nyx. “I would be in your debt if I could perhaps ask you a few questions?”

Their servant approached with wine and offered the first chalice to Nyx. She accepted it and he moved on until everyone was served. “You don’t owe me, Frey. Ask me anything you’d like.”

Alfheim’s ruler visibly relaxed and Alrek looked Nyx over from head to toe. His smile was equal parts admiration and approval and when he noticed Loki watching he placed his hand over his heart. “I’m envious, Prince Loki.”

Frey skewered his son with a glance before turning back to Nyx. “The darkness in the void, do you think it’s coming from your worlds?”

“I don’t know. It’s possible, but I’ve never felt anything like it before. When we return to-.”

Frey stilled and looked at her in confusion. “You felt it?”

“Yes.” She looked to Loki and he knew she was asking for direction.

“Her abilities are sensory and she’s been hiding them because she was supposed to be from Midgard. Nyx, please tell Frey what you felt exactly.”

“It was a low hum for me. Like energy.”

“Only those with powerful magic can sense it,” Alrek said. His expression was completely neutral. Deliberately so, Loki thought. 

She drained her chalice. Her fingers were holding it tightly, and he reached over to take it from her before their over-eager servant refilled it. “Nyx is of an other world, a different race. We’re uncertain, but the evidence suggests she’s a shifter. Her sense of smell is extraordinary.”

“But she must have magic,” Alrek insisted, and then seemed to catch himself. He looked directly at her. “I mean no offense, Princess.”

“None taken,” Nyx said. “I suppose you can call it magic if you want, but I think it’s more like an animal sensing a storm.”

She looked embarrassed and Loki put a hand on the small of her back. He hoped she didn’t think of herself as somehow less because of what she was. “Shifting is a form of magic, so in the strictest sense-and even though you don’t change form-you do have magic in your blood.”

Frey signaled for a refill. He downed half of it before he spoke again. “Can we move on?”

“That would be my preference,” Nyx said.

Alrek kneeled and reached for her hand. Thor turned away and rolled his eyes. 

“I’ve made you unhappy, beautiful one, and you have my sincerest apology. If there is any way that I can make it up to you, please…I beg of you, tell me.”

“I think you can stand up for starters,” Frey said in an irritated tone. “Loki’s going to remove your limbs if you keep it up, and frankly, I don’t blame him.”

Alrek’s cheeks reddened and he stood once again, saying nothing. Frey gave him a brief nod and turned his attention back to Nyx. “Is there anything at all you can think of that it could be?”

Frey’s face was too expressive, Loki thought. The man was showing fear. Granted, that fear was for the light elves he ruled, but it was not wise to show one’s emotions in situations like this. And certainly not to someone he didn’t know well. Then again, perhaps he was trusting in Asgard and, by extension, Nyx. Alfheim had assumed they were to be married from the beginning, after all. 

“It’s far fetched, but I do have one theory. I would rather-.”

“Please,” Frey said, “I will hear any thoughts you have on this matter.”

Nyx shifted her feet and glanced up at him. He pulled her in close to his side, knowing it would give her comfort. Given a choice between nearness and touching, she always chose to touch. It was one of a hundred things he loved about her. “I’ve heard stories of demonspheres. They’re not always corporeal, and if they’re being hunted, it makes sense they’d draw together. What I don’t understand is why they’d be hovering near Alfheim.”

The side doors opened before Frey could respond and the guards announced Alrek. He walked out amid polite applause and Frey turned with a resigned expression. “Perhaps we can continue our conversation later?”

“Of course, Frey.”

He took his place at the door and walked out when he was announced. Loki positioned Nyx and led her over. “We’re next. Remember to smile and maintain the distance between us until we’re seated. My arm will stay up the whole time for you, so just hold onto it.”

“The presentation walk, right?”

He smiled. “Yes, darling. That’s exactly right.”

They walked out when Prince Loki Odinson and the Lady Nyx were called. The applause was louder than he’d expected and Nyx flinched. “I’m right here with you. If you’re a very good girl, I’ll let you have the first dance, but if not, you’ll have to wait your turn and I know the Lady Sif desperately wants a twirl with me.”

She giggled at his joke and held onto his arm so tightly he half expected a dent in his armor. “That’s some grip you’ve got, sweet. No, don’t let go. We’re almost there. They’ll announce Thor any second and you’ll be free of scrutiny. Everyone will turn to stare at the Goldendoodle.”

“The what?”

“It’s a breed of blond, shaggy dog they breed on Midgard.”

“Stop it.”

“Thor doesn’t remind you of a retriever?”

They reached the head table just as his brother was announced. Nyx was doing an admirable job of not laughing, though once he seated her she fixed her gaze ahead and dug the nails of one hand into the opposite palm. He reached into her lap and pulled the hand closest to him away. “Please try not to do that,” he whispered. He didn’t know how he’d failed to notice the habit, but now that he knew, he was watching and had caught her a couple of other times as well. She didn’t seem to be aware of it most of the time.

Thor sat down next to him and his parents were announced. “When they reach the table, we stand until they’re seated.”

“Holy shit, look at your mother!”

 _“Nyx,”_ he hissed. 

Thor shook with silent laughter. “She is the queen of Asgard, you know.”

“She looks amazing.” 

“Yes, but mind your tongue.”

She glanced at him and deflated a little. “I’m sorry. It just slipped out.”

He reached into her lap and took her hand again. “It’s all right. I forget how much you’ve had to learn in a few days’ time.”

When his parents were close they rose and waited for the king and queen to sit. Odin and Frigga took their chairs at the center of the table and his father motioned everyone back down. He was the nearest to them, with his sons and Nyx to his right and Frigga, Frey, and Alrek to the the left.

Servers stepped in seconds after the king and queen sat, and the pouring of the wine began. Loki raised Nyx’s hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss over it. “Have some more wine; it’ll help you relax.”

She picked up her chalice and almost dropped it. He caught it easily and steadied it. “Breathe, Nyxanya. The entrance was the hard part; we’re just having dinner now.”

His father’s head turned so that he could look at them. “Nyxanya?”

“That is my full name, my king.”

His eye flicked over her. “What is your family name?”

“I don’t have one, my king. It’s just Nyxanya.”

He frowned, so it was a surprise when he said, “I apologize for our misuse of your name. We shall be correct from now on.”

“I don’t wish to offend, but I prefer Nyx unless it’s Loki speaking.”

He froze, half expecting a rebuke, but his father appeared curious. Thor too was looking at her with raised eyebrows. “And why is that?”

“Most people from Five shorten their names. The full name is only used by loved ones and immediate family and it’s considered…intimate, for lack of a better translation. It’s not used all the time.”

Heat flashed through him even as his father stared her down, or tried to. Nyx scarcely breathed, but she didn’t look away either. “Young lady, are you telling me that Loki is your loved one?”

“Yes, my king.”

The eye went to him and roamed from his face to the hand that held hers tightly. “Is this news to you?”

“No, Father.” He couldn’t resist the next thing that came out of his mouth. “She gave me her full name on Alfheim.”

His father took Gungnir and tipped it towards him. Thor twisted in his seat to see better as the spear was extended behind his chair. Loki didn’t know what to do, though.

“Place your hand on Gungnir, Loki.”

He did so, exchanging a look with his brother, but Thor looked just as confused as he was. 

“Do you return her love?” Odin asked.

“Yes, Father, I do. I’ve spoken the words.”

“So you have.” He gently pulled Gungnir back to its place beside him and again Loki exchanged looks with his brother. Thor gave him a small shrug to show he didn’t know what it had been about either. Frigga leaned over to look down the table at them.

“What is happening?” she asked.

Their father placed his hand over hers and patted it. “We’ll speak on it later.”

The first course was served and the noise in the hall rose as those present got into the spirit of things. Most of them were unaware of the reason behind Frey’s visit and saw it as a simple celebration to honor their guests. The table of light elves off to the left were subdued, though. Frey had brought several of his advisors as well as a few elders along. Alrek was the only member of his family present. Loki looked down the table and saw that he too was solemn. “What do you think?” he said out of the side of his mouth. “Is Alrek pouting?”

Nyx glanced around the room, only briefly letting her gaze slide over Alfheim’s prince. “Yes.”

“He does have a flair for the dramatic.”

“Even so.”

Thor broke off his flirtation with a maiden at one of the front tables and looked over at him. “I told you. Pepper sauce on the hands.”

“What?” Nyx asked.

“So they get a taste every time they kiss you.”

“Frey took care of that for awhile, I think,” Thor said.

Their father, who had appeared to not be paying attention, turned in his chair. “What are you speaking of?”

“Alrek’s become effusive in his affections for Nyx and Frey reprimanded him in the holding chamber. He’s been somber ever since.”

Odin frowned. “The light elves are simply that way. Did you make your displeasure known?” he said, his focus sharp on Loki because of course it had to be his fault somehow.

“Loki did nothing wrong, Father. Alrek hits his knees and starts kissing her hands at the slightest downward turn of her lips. It’s ridiculous and it makes Nyx uncomfortable. He deserved to be chastised.”

“That may be, but it’s not in Asgard’s best interest to alienate Frey’s son right now.”

Thor drew back at the angry tone. He was always so surprised when he drew their father’s ire unless they were arguing to begin with. “I do not believe we’ve alienated him-.”

“I’ll try to smooth it over,” Nyx said softly.

“That would be helpful,” Odin replied. He turned his back on them again and appeared to be speaking angrily at their mother in hushed tones. Thor made a face and went back to looking out at the crowd. Their plates were removed and another course served. Nyx looked down into the bowl that was put in front of her.

“What is it?”

“Cold soup, I believe. How are you planning to smooth it over with Alrek, if I may ask?”

She was smelling the soup. It wouldn’t be obvious to anyone but him, but he’d come to recognize the signs. She was always still when she was concentrating on a scent and she breathed deeper.

“I thought I’d ask him to dance and then tell him the absolute truth.”

“And what would that be?”

“That he’s been kind and welcoming and I’m flattered, but I love you.”

His blood went south again and he spread his knees. “I do like the way you say that.”

She looked at him. “It won’t be a hard sell. Alrek doesn’t want me.” She picked up her spoon and swirled it in the bowl. “Are there flowers in this soup?”

Loki put a hand on the back of her chair. “Why don’t you taste it and see? Most people do actually eat at these things, you know.”

“I can’t figure out what’s in it.”

“So? We aren’t going to poison you. In fact, all the food served at this table is sampled first.”

“Really? Why?”

He started to explain the history of royal poisonings when Thor interrupted. “So what’s a demonsphere, Nyx?”

“Supposedly it’s a gathering of demons in their non-corporeal forms. I had a teacher in primary that used to tell us stories about them. I always thought they were just stories, though. Demons are rare. I’ve only ever met one.”

Loki tasted the soup and replaced his spoon. There was an edible flower of some kind in it, but he couldn’t place it. “You met a demon?”

“Yes, at the market when I was sixteen. I’d just aged out of school and was looking for a job. He heard me asking the shopkeeper for work and walked over to speak to me.”

There was something in her voice that said it hadn’t been a pleasant experience. “What was he like?” Thor asked.

Nyx leaned into his space and he placed a hand on her back and rubbed. His father wouldn’t appreciate him showing affection at the table, though, so he pulled his hand back after a minute. He hoped she understood it was about propriety and nothing more.

“He was mesmerizing and beautiful and had a voice like nothing I’ve ever heard. He terrified me.”

“Really? Even though he was so attractive?” He sounded jealous and Nyx gave him an amused look.

“He still managed to be menacing somehow, even though he behaved with perfect manners. It was an odd encounter. I think at first he wanted to see if he could buy me, but when he got close he changed his mind.”

“ _Buy_ you?”

“Yes. They’re known for collecting lovers. They like to have a lot of partners, but they don’t share. Ever.”

Thor pushed his soup aside and moved his chair in closer. “How does that work, though?” He kept his voice low, but their father would still hear if he wanted to.

“Well, once you’ve agreed you belong to the demon for life. I’m sure there’s some kind of binding. Some will have you live with them and others will allow partners their own homes, but there’s no going back unless they release you.”

“Why would anyone agree to that? To be someone’s property?” his brother asked.

“Many do it for security. They take care of their partners, and unlike the rest of us, they’ve done okay against the nilliths. Being able to slip a physical body is an advantage.”

“You would have said no to him if he’d made an offer. Even if he hadn’t scared you, you would have said no.”

Nyx blinked. He’d taken her by surprise. “What makes you say that?”

“You were afraid of Caden, but you fought back anyway. No one will ever own you.”

“Not even you?” The twinkle in her eye told him what she was thinking of and Loki laughed.

“You’re mine because you want to be, and I’m yours equally. I’ve no doubt you’ll put me in my place if I forget.”

Thor paused with his chalice halfway to his mouth and pointed it in her direction. “There are those of us that would pay to see that, just so you know.”

He thought of the spell he wanted and held his hand over his soup bowl. “That could be lucrative, darling. Let’s arrange something and take Thor and our idiot friends’ money. We’ll buy you some pretties.” He took a deep breath in through his nose. “How funny you missed that. I think it’s English Daisy.”

Nyx sat up so straight it was like he’d pulled a string in her back. “What did you do?”

“Just a simple spell to enhance the aroma of the soup. Why?”

She grabbed his arm. “Can you separate scents with magic?”

“Well, yes, but-.”

“Caden’s clothes, do you think they’ve been washed?”

He got it. “How unbelievably stupid of me.”

Thor made a face. “What are you two on about now? You know you’re starting to talk like an old married couple.”

“Father, may I please have a word?”

Odin turned. “What is it, Loki?”

“Nyx has thought of a way to use magic to find the portals, but it’s imperative I secure Caden’s garments. May I be excused for just a moment?”

“Go.”

He teleported to the guest chamber bath. The hamper was empty. “Damn it!” He kicked the nearest object, which happened to be a basket of towels, and then he stormed out. In the hall, he flagged a servant. “Our guest. Where are his clothes?”

The girl stammered and he choked back his irritation. “I’m not cross with you. It’s just that he’s gone missing and I need his things to create a spell.” He thought of a nice twist. “It’s for making sure he can’t hurt the future princess.” The rumors were flying anyway. Why not have a little fun on the day of his engagement?

Her eyes got so wide that the white was visible all the way around. “I shall run to the laundry straightaway, my prince!”

It was on the tip of his tongue to say he’d meet her there, but then he realized he didn’t know the exact location of the laundry anymore. It had been moved since he was a boy running the halls. “I’ll go with you. Please, lead the way.”

“Yes, yes, of course, my prince.”

She moved fast for such a small creature. Though taller, she reminded him of Nyx, actually. They reached the laundry facility in ten minutes’ time and the girl, Rakel, explained what they were looking for. The laundry workers didn’t need much prompting to fly into action. Not when she had him standing behind her.

Minutes later he was standing before a pile of laundry bags with a head servant and half the staff. “This is the guest laundry recently collected, Prince Loki. What are the specific garments?”

“I want everything from Caden’s hamper, if possible. There should be a bloodstained shirt-.”

“I collected that,” an older woman called out. She pushed through from the back. “All the clothes and sheets are in one bag. The shirt with the blood is almost black with it, but the sleeves are dark grey, I believe.”

“Everyone take a single bag and sort on a cleared table. Do not mix the contents of the bags,” the head servant advised. More people came to help from other stations and soon every folding table was occupied.

No one asked what he wanted the bag of laundry for, but several people were looking at Rakel, who was searching along with them. She’d fill them in later, he was sure.

“I’ve got them!” a man called out. Loki teleported to his side.

“Thank you. Now please, allow me to collect them.” He didn’t want to contaminate the scent any more than necessary. The worker stepped back and they all waited while he stuffed the laundry back into the bag and secured it. When he was done, he turned to look at their anxious faces. “I thank you all for your quick and competent service.”

There were some confused faces, but most of them beamed at him. He motioned Rakel over. “Do you know where my chambers are?”

“Yes, my prince.”

He handed her the bag. “You know of the importance, yes?”

She nodded vigorously.

“I must return to the feast. Please take the bag to my chambers and leave it on the desk. There is paper and pencil there for you to tack a note to the bag stating that it is not to be removed.”

Her little face was so solemn. “I will go _right now_.”

He magicked a piece of gold into the palm of her hand and she was so startled she almost dropped it. It was against the rules to tip the servants. They were well paid and his mother felt it created jealousy, but Loki could have given a damn at that moment. “Our little secret.” He winked. 

Rakel smiled and took the bag of laundry from him. He’d secured everything inside and closed it tightly, so hopefully her scent wouldn’t be a problem. After she darted for the door, he gave the laundry workers one final nod and teleported back to the feast. Nyx jumped. She still wasn’t used to it.

“Did you get the clothes?” she asked. His parents and Thor both turned to look as soon as she spoke.

“I did. They were in the laundry, but the servants helped me locate the bag. I got his clothing and his sheets.”

His father gave a satisfied nod. “Begin on this first thing tomorrow, Loki. Your mother says if you isolate the specific scent you can boost it for Nyx or perhaps just boost it, period?”

He’d been thinking about that. “I believe it would be wisest to target Nyx. She’ll know to be careful.” He gave her an apologetic look. “If we used dogs, they could accidentally go through.”

“A valid point. Come to the throne room when you have something. Both of you.”


	37. You Must Not Interfere

CHAPTER 37

Frigga walked slowly to keep pace with her husband. The merrymaking was still going strong in the hall, but they’d stayed for a respectable amount of time. Odin cleared his throat and leaned on her heavily. “Frey was taken aback when we bid him goodnight. Perhaps I should have stayed longer.”

“You stayed long enough. He understands the toll it took to close a portal of that size, not to mention your other duties.”

He tapped Gungnir along the polished marble floor as they went. “He’s anxious to have Loki and Nyx back. He asked again when they might be able to make the trip.”

“Hopefully this idea of theirs to use Caden’s clothes for a spell will expedite the search for portals. I do wish they had some form of protection, though.”

“Loki doesn’t want Thor with him. I’ve already spoken to him about it.”

Frigga smiled. “Yes, well, I’m sure he wants time alone with Nyx.”

They were silent for several moments. Odin sighed. “You were right about their feelings for one another. Loki swore on Gungnir and Nyx allows him to use her full name. It is customary where she’s from for only loved ones and immediate family to speak it.”

“I suspected as much. I’ve heard him say it.”

Odin stopped at the corner before they turned down the last hall that would take them to their chambers. His breathing was labored, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was wheezing too.

“Dear, are you all right?” 

He laid a palm against her cheek. “I am about to anger you greatly.”

“Oh?”

“I intend to test her. I must know for sure, and you must not interfere, Frigga.”

“Test her how?” It was the method she feared, not the test. If it settled Odin’s nerves it would clear the path to formal engagement. Under a different set of circumstances she would have wanted it to be a long one so that Nyx had time to adjust, but the potential for disaster was too great. And Loki knew it. Had he not loved her, he would have tried hiding her. A thousand different schemes would have played out without marriage ever entering the picture. He was, in his own words, lost to her, though. He would have rushed anyway. The prophecy just gave him incentive and a sense of urgency Frigga could not argue with. All of Asgard would stand with their princess if the need arose.

And yes, she had told Nyx there was no need to hurry. That hadn’t been an entirely truthful statement, but overwhelming her wouldn’t serve them well either.

“I’m unsure. I don’t wish to cause harm.” He turned and started to walk again, very slowly, and Frigga gave it some thought.

“You doubt that she truly loves him, or-.”

Odin snorted. “That’s the issue. I’m conflicted. I had no trouble believing it when she looked me in the eye and declared herself.”

“But?”

“I keep coming back to one thought, and it’s that Nyx is a survivor. What if she’s fooled herself into thinking she hasn’t used Loki?”

It was Frigga that stopped this time, and Odin backed into a wall for support. “There’s no way to answer that question.”

“Not without drastic measures, no. But I would be interested to see her reaction if Loki was…embarrassed in front of her. Would she still choose the disgraced prince that won’t ascend to the throne? What if she could have the other?”

A chill swept through her. It started at the back of her neck and ended at the tips of her toes, and she curled them in. “Surely you jest, Husband?”

“They are headed for marriage, Frigga, and we know little about her.”

That gave her pause. She hoped she hadn’t given him some clue that Loki had proposed. “But to pit the boys against each other? And why can’t you simply get to know her as I’ve been doing?”

Odin pushed off the wall and took her arm once again. “The boys have fought since they were small. One more scuffle isn’t going to kill them, and I want reassurance now.”

“Why? I thought you were going to wait and see. Nyx will prove herself over time, even to you. I have no doubt.” She opened the door to their chambers and glared until he went through ahead of her. He didn’t answer until he’d removed his armor and taken a seat.

“If it is Loki’s desire to marry, and I believe it is, I would encourage him to propose if she passes this test.”

Frigga crossed to where he sat and carefully settled into the spot next to him while her mind raced. Was her husband testing _her?_ “What makes you say that, that you believe Loki wants to marry?”

Her husband, Odin, the All-father, the most powerful man in the nine, rolled his good eye at her. “I’m not a fool, Frigga. He guards her like a starving dog with a juicy bone. He’s constantly coaching her, and his pride in the girl couldn’t be more obvious.”

“Marriage is a big step.” She leaned into his side and felt cool, dry lips brush over her forehead. She didn’t look up, though. She didn’t want him reading guilt in her expression.

“I spoke to Finna of Alfheim.”

She sat up, shocked. “You…when?”

“This afternoon. She came with Frey.”

“No she didn’t. I would have…she’s in another form, isn’t she?”

He smiled. “Yes. She thinks she makes Nyx uncomfortable and didn’t want to distress her or cause offense. She’s in the form of the elder Birla.”

“I see. And you spoke to her about them?”

“She says they are already joined in all of the ways that count. That it’s almost as if they share a soul.”

“That’s…dramatic.”

He huffed. “You know how light elves are.”

“And did you believe her?”

“It happened fast.”

“Yes. It does sometimes. Love is not predictable.” She placed her hand over his heart and smiled when he fingered her hair. After all the years they’d had together he still played with it. “When Nyx was injured she wouldn’t rest without Loki. And he wouldn’t leave her side.”

“Is it so awful that I want to see for myself?”

“Can’t you find some other way? Must Thor humiliate his brother in front of her? How do you think Loki’s going to react if Thor makes a serious play for her? This isn’t a squabble over a toy, dear.”

“Thor can protect himself.”

She launched herself off the chaise, incensed. “And Loki? What of the damage to him?”


	38. So Much Better

CHAPTER 39

Loki pulled her through a side door around midnight. The banquet hall was still full, though most of the elves had departed. Thor was drunkenly carrying on with Volstagg and Fandral while Hogun and Sif looked on with amusement. None of them noticed him slipping out with Nyx, not that they would care.

There was a sigh of pure relief and he looked down at her. She was flushed and fidgeting, probably chafing in her corset. He tugged on her hand and she followed him down the steps. “Where are we going?”

“I thought a walk in the garden would cool us off. It’s too warm in the banquet hall.” He nodded to a group of guards as they passed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

“You seem annoyed.”

He gave her a brief smile. “I detest sharing you.” And he’d had to from the moment they stopped serving dinner. Frey had asked her to dance and kept her for an hour while he peppered her with questions. Nyx returned to Loki long enough to check in and have half a chalice of wine and then she went back for Alrek and danced with him until he was once again smiling. Several of the elves danced with her after that and he didn’t dare cut in because his parents were watching. 

Loki resented every minute of it. This should have been their night, whether he’d mishandled his proposal or not.

“I was trying to win your father over. I didn’t want to spend the evening apart-.”

“I know.”

“I sympathize with Frey too. He’s a good man to care so much about the elves.”

They reached the main path into the east garden. The benches were all occupied by others that had also wanted a reprieve from the hall. He picked up his pace until he noticed Nyx was struggling to keep up in her tightly fitted dress. “He’s an honorable ruler. Perhaps a bit soft, but you’re right. He cares about them a great deal.”

“So is Alrek not a full light elf? Because Frey isn’t one of them.”

“No, Frey is from Vanaheim. Alrek’s mother was a light elf named Geira, so he’s half.” They reached the end of the main path and there were two couples having a private party in the section of the garden adjacent to his clearing with the willow tree. He pulled Nyx through the bushes and sighed. He didn’t want to be that close to them. “We should have just gone to the stables for my horse.”

Nyx squeezed his hand. “We could turn around.”

“We’re closer to the gazebo than the stables now. Hopefully it won’t be occupied.”

They walked on and the noise of people gave way to the noise of night. There was an owl nearby and he happened to catch the look that crossed Nyx’s face when it sounded off. He laughed. “I take it there were no owls on Five.”

“The fuck is an owl?”

_“Nyx.”_

She gave him a sideways glance. “If I may, Your Royal Highness, what is an owl?” 

He smiled. And then he shifted into a great grey owl and took flight. Nyx shrieked and clapped a hand over her mouth. He flew in circles around her until she calmed down. Her hand dropped and she glared up at him. “You scared me! And you never told me you could shift, your mother did or I wouldn’t have even known.” She thrust one arm out stiffly. “Come on.”

It didn’t exactly surprise him that she wanted a closer look. He landed as gently as he could on her arm and watched her catalog him. After she’d looked him over she brought her other hand up and gently petted the feathers. “You always have to have the last word, don’t you?”

He hooted and she laughed. He took to the air again and then landed before he shifted back. “Just a trick for my sarcastic little love. Don’t tell me you don’t like surprises?”

“Flowers by the bed are a surprise. Changing into a gigantic bird without warning is something else.”

He stopped walking. “Are you truly upset?”

“No, I’m pouting because you one-upped me. And you can fly.”

They came to the hedge maze and Nyx turned left. Dark as it was inside, she made the next several turns correctly. Loki caught her hand and tugged her up against him. “How do you know the way?”

“You brought me here once. It was the first time you kissed me, remember?”

He rubbed her back through the stiff fabric of her dress. They hadn’t run into anyone since they’d passed his tree. He changed her from the dress into the exact clothing she’d worn that night: cotton nightgown and black leather pants. Nyx curled into his chest and sagged. “Thank you.”

“Mmmm.” He hugged her again, breathing in the warm, spiced vanilla scent of her hair. “So you remember the way after coming once, in the dark? You didn’t even walk it. I carried you.”

“I have a good memory.”

“That’s a little more than a good memory.”

She stepped back and took his hand again, leading him into the next turn. “I’ve always been able to do things like that.”

“Mother is right. Her grandchildren will be brilliant.”

Nyx laughed. “Not anytime soon, they won’t. I have a birth control implant.”

He stopped dead. “You have a what?”

“An implant. They cut your arm open and put it in, and then stitch it back up. I got the fifteen year one after I aged out.”

Loki had been using a spell to prevent pregnancy. He’d had no idea she was already protected, and frankly he liked his method better. “Can it be removed?”

She glanced up at him. “Is there something you want to tell me? I thought you said babies could wait.”

And they could. He just didn’t like the idea that there was something inside her keeping his seed from taking hold. It sounded barbaric to him, and he told her as much.

“If it bothers you that much, we can dig it out after we get married. You have to promise me you’ll use the spell until we decide together that we want a baby, though.”

They came to the last row in the maze and Nyx again made the correct turn. “Why do we have to wait until then? I could take it out right now.”

“I’m still half expecting Caden to jump out of the bushes and drag me back, and rape is a constant threat in our worlds now. I’m not having some monster’s baby because I couldn’t outrun him or fight him off.”

“Have you been forced?” he asked quietly. “Ever?”

“No. But I’ve seen the aftermath of it often enough.”

“You’re never going back there.” He took the lead again and climbed the steps to the gazebo with her trailing slightly behind. He picked her up once she cleared the last step and put her down on the table that sat in the middle. A small nudge opened her legs and he stood in the space between her knees. “I mean it. You will never go back.”

Nyx dropped her head onto his chest and wrapped her arms around him. “Never’s a dangerous word, mianna. It backfires.”

He rubbed her bare arms and bent to place a kiss on her jaw. He let his fingertips slide along her skin lazily, but Nyx wasn’t naive and caught on instantly. “You’re looking for it.”

“I don’t want it in you. I’m grateful you had protection when you needed it, and now you don’t, so I want it out. I’ll kill Caden before I let him take you back there.”

“Loki-.”

“Please? It genuinely bothers me. I know not why, and all I can say is that it’s basic, what I feel. Primal even. I don’t want this barrier between us.” He tipped her chin up and took her face in his hands. “I swear to you that I will use the spell.”

She searched his face for so long that he became convinced she would say no. Instead she took his hand and guided it to her upper right arm. “Press there.” He probed with his fingers until he felt it. He never would have noticed it if she hadn’t shown him.

“It’s deep. Are you going to let me remove it then?”

“If it’s that important to you.”

He pressed down with his thumb. “It is. Thank you, Nyx.”

“Got a knife? Mine wouldn’t fit anywhere in that dress.”

He laughed. “I have my dagger, but I think it would be best to wait until we’re back in my chambers.” He shook his head. “I mean our chambers.”

She leaned into him again and he stopped himself before he mussed her hair. He wasn’t well versed in the magic of ladies’ hairstyles. He tugged her gown out from under her bottom and slipped a hand underneath, only to encounter indented flesh. “I’m having a word with Mother and Serra about cramming you into corsets that don’t properly fit.” He worked a minor healing spell to soothe her skin and Nyx sighed. He lowered his head for a kiss that quickly became heated. “I can’t take you back looking like I’ve pawed you,” he said after a minute.

“Then I guess you’ll have to be careful.” She loosened the ties on his pants just enough to free his cock. “I want you in my mouth.”

Her words went straight up his shaft and he twitched in her grasp, but she let him go and turned to lie on the table with her head over the side. Loki held still. He thought he knew what she intended, but he wasn’t positive until she reached for his hand and pulled. His height was advantageous as they lined up perfectly. She gave him a mock pout when he just stood there, in truth trying to calm himself so he didn’t come five seconds in.

Nyx lifted her head an inch and swiped her tongue over his balls and to his embarrassment, he jumped. “Give it to me, Loki.”

The little beast knew exactly what she was doing to him. He took a firm grip and tried to breathe as he pressed the head of his cock to her lips. She didn’t resist, but she didn’t open either and he pushed harder, sliding into her hot mouth until he hit the back of her throat. His eyes went to hers and she relaxed, letting him go that extra couple of inches.

His hands went to her head and he remembered her hair and swore, cupping the back of her neck carefully instead. Her lips tightened and she hummed. It was hard to tell, but he thought she was smiling. He locked his legs, rocked back, and then gave her a short but powerful thrust that wiped all amusement from her expression. “You asked for this, darling.” He put a note of command in his voice. “Now suck.”

She kept her eyes up the entire time he fucked her mouth and didn’t once pull away or stay him with a hand. He was lost to sensation and closed his eyes when his legs began to shake, desperately trying to draw the pleasure out. Nyx sucked harder and scraped him lightly with her teeth when he slowed, and the feel of it was overwhelming. His fingers clamped down on the back of her neck and he once again opened his eyes and met hers. “I’m…I.” He groaned, picking up speed again, unable to finish the sentence. Nyx reached up and he felt her fist the leather at his hips, urging him on.

His release came fast and hard, and he emptied into her throat, only aware at the very end that Nyx was struggling to swallow all of it. He jerked free and spilled what was left on her face, swearing at his bad aim. He turned her head to the side. “Spit.” 

Loki locked his knees and stepped off, trying to perform enough basic magic to get a towel, but he was too rattled so he pulled her nightgown up and gently wiped her face. “I’m so sorry.” He was still panting when she sat up and coughed once. “Oh, Nyx, oh, my sweet-.”

“I’m fine. It’s okay.” She slowly turned and he gathered her up and kissed the top of her head. They didn’t speak for a couple of minutes. When he’d finally caught his breath, Loki adjusted himself and redid his pants, then exchanged the gown she wore for a clean one. “You should probably just put the dress back.”

“In a few minutes. Are you sure you’re all right?”

She looked up at him. “Yeah. I hope I didn’t ruin it for you.”

“Ruin it for me? No. You should have pushed me off sooner, though.”

Nyx just shrugged and started to smile. Before long she was consumed with giggles and he stiffened, wondering if she was laughing at him. Seeing his reaction, she reached for his arm and shook her head. “No, I just-.” She struggled for composure. “I got in over my head.”

It took him a second and then they were both laughing. He leaned against the table and pulled her in between his legs. “My life is so much better with you in it,” he said after they stopped and were wiping tears of mirth from their eyes.

Nyx slipped her arms around his waist and clung. “Mine too.”


	39. A Brief History

CHAPTER 39

Nyx was curled up in Loki’s favorite chair with a pencil and her journal. She’d been disappointed to discover they didn’t have markers on Asgard. How could an advanced society not have markers? Or even regular pens for that matter. Loki used a fountain pen and buttery smooth paper that she’d ruined a sheet of on her first and only attempt to write him a note in English. The ink had smeared all over the page and part of his desk. He’d been remarkably calm about it when he caught her cleaning it up, but he’d taken over the task and silently handed her a pencil.

So there she was, in the chair with her pencil. He was still at the desk. After he’d finished with the mess, he’d opened a book and started making notes, probably working on his plan for locating portals. He had several ideas for how to do it with scent. 

“Nyx.”

She jumped at the sound of his voice, not having noticed him turn to look at her. “What?”

“Are you pouting?”

“No.”

“Your arm isn’t bothering you, is it?”

True to his word, he’d taken the birth control implant out of her arm the night before. “No.”

He sighed. “Come here.”

She thought about refusing but didn’t have a good reason to, so she placed the pencil in her journal and tossed it aside. Her bare feet were silent on the polished floor as she walked over to stand before him. Loki pulled her down onto his lap and brushed her hair behind her ears. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie.”

She scooted in and made herself more comfortable, dropping her head into the space just under his collarbone. “I’m bored.”

He pressed his lips to the top of her head and lingered a moment. “Why don’t you read one of your books?”

“I finished them.”

“Read one of mine.”

“The only languages I know that are spoken in the nine realms are English and Spanish.”

“I have titles in English.” He patted her back. “Get up and we’ll look. Or we can go to the library if you want.”

She slid off his lap and walked over to the main bookcase. “Are they all magic books?”

He joined her and looked over the titles. She didn’t see a damn thing in English. Loki waved a hand and the bookcase swiveled, presenting another selection. “No, I have several novels and some odds and ends. Is there something specific you want?”

She thought about it. “I liked _A Brief History of the Realm Eternal._ Anything about Asgard or your other worlds would be good.”

“I know just the thing.” He held his hand out and a book materialized. He opened it briefly and then handed it to her.

“Show off.” She read the title. He’d given her _A Brief History of Alfheim._ “Thank you.”

He cocked his head and looked at her thoughtfully. “What were you writing when my pen got the best of you?”

“A note to you. I didn’t realize until last night that you read and write English. When you said you speak All-Tongue, I just assumed everything was in that or translated to it. I speak English better than I write it, but I thought I’d try.” She shrugged and felt her face getting hot. “Anyway-.”

“But what was in the note?”

He zeroed right in, as usual. “It said ‘I love you’ and then I signed my name. Under that I wrote it out in Five. I couldn’t figure out how to spell Loki, though.”

“How sentimental of you.” He was trying not to grin, she could tell. “It’s L-O-K-I.” 

She went back to where her journal was and picked it up. She flipped to the last used page there was still room on and quickly scratched his name out in pencil, then showed it to him. “Is this right?”

“Yes.” He came to stand beside her and pointed to the writing above it. “What does that say?”

She laughed. “Oh, that’s a description of how much I’d like to run Caden over with an armored vehicle. He used to read this when I wasn’t around and it never occurred to the arrogant ass that I knew.”

“You smelled him on it?” he guessed.

“Like rotten fish.”

“Wait…” He stilled, and a look of pure delight crossed his face a second later. “He didn’t know about your sense of smell?”

“No. You were the first person in a long time to know about it.”

His voice pitched low and held a note of regret. “And now we all know…I’m so sorry.”

Nyx looked down at the page in her journal to avoid his eyes. “Don’t be. It was my choice to let you in, and I never asked you to keep it quiet. No one forced it out of me.” She made an inarticulate noise. “For a change.”

“How did Caden hold onto you? Surely you could have outsmarted him.”

She wrote Loki’s name out in Five underneath the English version and then tucked the pencil in and closed the cover on her journal. “He’s smarter than you think he is. I didn’t make it easy for him, though. I got away more than once. It was getting harder to pull off, though, because transport is cut off in so many places and every time I turned around someone was collecting on me.”

He frowned. “I don’t understand this. Collecting on you?”

“Reward money. Caden and his lot were hunting me and the nilliths were hunting orphans and for a while some of the vampires were in on it too because they were looking for Mace. I hid out in the remotest places I could find for about a year, but I kept having to come out for food and people tend to notice young girls that are alone.”

“So…they all took money in exchange for you?” The disgust in his voice was unmistakable. “And who is Mace?”

“Yes, pretty much.” There was more to it, of course, but she didn’t want to talk about it.

She thought the second bit over for a minute. Dropping Mace’s name was unintentional, though now that she thought about it-and considering they were engaged-it was probably best to get it over with. “Mace and I were…involved for a couple of years.”

Loki’s reaction would have been lost on her if she hadn’t been looking for it. The corners of his mouth tightened and his eyes narrowed a fraction. It was subtle, but there. “Why were vampires looking for him?”

She shifted her weight even though she knew it was a giveaway and he would notice. “Because he’s one of them and he took off with me. They’re kind of…I don’t know the word. Clannish? Like pack animals in a lot of ways, actually.”

Her mianna moved in so close that she could feel his breath stirring her hair. “So what happened?”

“To Mace? He left me. I have no idea where he is now or if he ever went home.”

“Left you? Why?”

He sounded so shocked. Like he couldn’t believe anyone would do such a thing. She leaned in and his arms came up automatically and pulled her against him. “The short answer is because I made him crazy.”

“And the long answer.”

She hesitated for no more than a second, again reminding herself that they had laid claim to each other. “Vampires form tight bonds with their mates and Mace always felt like I didn’t give enough. He even tried to get me treatment for attachment disorder once because he thought it had to do with being abandoned as an infant, but the more he pushed the more I pulled away. Looking back on it now, I think I understand a little better than I did at the time.” She burrowed in as close as she could get, taking comfort in Loki’s warmth. 

“How so?”

“When I’m with you I’m never thinking about how to get away. Mace was right; I did hold him at arm’s length half the time.”

Loki’s hands were moving in slow circles on her back and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was hard. “But you were hurt when he left you, yes?”

The question caught her off guard and she wondered if the rubbing and the holding and the quiet, deep voice was all for show and he was just trying to keep her talking. “Yes, I was. I cared for him and I was lost for a while after he left.”

“He was a fool.”

“No, he wasn’t. If I couldn’t give him what he needed, he was right to leave me.” She tilted her head up to look at him. “Are you jealous?”

“Quite.”

“That’s flattering, but Mace never made me choke on my own tongue. I thought I’d hyperventilate the first time you paid attention to me.”

“Really?” His eyebrows climbed his forehead. “I thought you were timid at first. I didn’t know you were having trouble breathing.”

“Very funny.” She thought back to the moment Loki stepped in and took her arm. It seemed like so much time had passed since then, but it hadn’t. “You intimidated the hell out of me.”

He backed up to his chair and pulled her down with him so she was sprawled across his lap. She could have moved off to one side, but she was much happier where she was. “Why is that, darling?”

“The tall, dark prince. Always watching but never saying anything. I was sure you saw right through me.”

“Truthfully, I never considered you were more than what I’d been told until Thor came to me.”

“So you weren’t really watching?”

“Of course I was. I observed you and dismissed you a hundred times. In my defense, you never looked at me.”

“Loki.”

He shifted her, deliberately she thought, so that his length brushed against her. Nyx shifted back and dropped a hand to the front of his pants where she traced her fingers up and down with the lightest touch. “Mmmm?” he hummed.

“I looked.”

His hand came up and he squeezed the back of her neck. “I believe you. Had I known I was dealing with such a sneaky little girl, I would have paid more attention.”

Her laugh was cut off by his mouth and she tangled her fingers in the ties at his waist, grabbing at loose ends. “We don’t have time,” he said.

“I’ll be fast.”

“No, you won’t.” He patted her ass. “I need to get back to work.”

She sat up straighter. “But-.”

“No buts. Up you go.” He plucked her off and dropped her to the side. 

“You _tease._ You did that on purpose!”

He just laughed.


	40. The Training Field

CHAPTER 40

The solution wasn’t as elegant as he would have liked. In the end, he created a single, unique scent from the foreign scents on Caden’s clothes and embedded it into a spell. It took a few tries to get it exactly right, but by the third day they’d found another, much smaller portal.

The ride back to the palace was long and both he and Nyx were tired. The news that they were to report to the training field at once wasn’t welcome. He steadied Nyx when she faltered getting off his horse before turning back to the stable servant. “Are you certain?”

“Yes, Prince Loki. One of the All-Father’s guards came personally.”

“And it’s the training field in the west garden?”

“Yes, Prince Loki.”

He found it infuriating that Nyx was being ordered to return to the field she’d been so grievously injured on, and the look of hesitation that crossed her face only added fuel to the fire in his belly. “What do you think it’s about?” she asked.

Her hand was clammy when he took it and started them off down the path. “I know not but this: fear nothing. I will not allow you to be hurt.”

Her lips twitched and a small smile ghosted across her face, gone almost as soon as it appeared. He stopped walking and looked at her expectantly. “What?”

“You’re extra proper when you’re mad.”

“You find humor at the oddest of times,” he retorted.

It took them twenty minutes to make the walk to the west garden and what met them did nothing to ease his tension. Thor was there as were his parents, Frey, Alrek, Grein, several other visitors, Sif, the Warriors Three, and about fifty other onlookers. Nyx’s fingers clamped down on his hand so tight he might have winced under different circumstances, but just at the moment his brother was walking towards them with purpose.

What came next was such a shock he stood there for several seconds, uncomprehending, until the uneasy laughter of the crowd registered. “Loki?” Nyx was saying, her voice as high as a child’s. “I don’t understand-.”

“You what?” he demanded of Thor, sure he had to have heard him wrong.

But no. His brother, of his own blood and bone, had just challenged him for courtship rights. Such a thing hadn’t happened on Asgard for hundreds, possibly thousands of years, and for good reason. “Women are not property, Thor. What is your true motive?”

Thor smiled indulgently, like he was explaining to a toddler. His eyes flicked over Nyx’s hand where it clung to his and some incomprehensible emotion crossed his face. “I would not force the Lady Nyx to wed me, Brother, I seek only to prove I am worthy should she choose to consider the future king of Asgard.”

He couldn’t believe his ears, and yet, on some deep, dark level, he wasn’t even surprised. His father had decided Nyx was a valuable asset and if she was going to marry an Odinson, why not make it the one set to ascend? He didn’t trust Thor’s word at all. He couldn’t, because too much was being left unsaid. “And what are the terms?”

“Do I get a say?” Nyx whispered frantically.

“No, my darling, I’m sorry.” He gave her hand one final squeeze. “Go and sit with Mother.” 

She dropped his hand and obeyed, because she read him perfectly. He turned back to his brother. “Well?”

Thor’s eyes were trained on Nyx’s retreating backside, which was covered in leather pants and green tunic. “Take your gaze off my fiancée this _instant,_ Brother.”

Thor’s head whipped around. “What did you say?”

“You heard me. I’ve already proposed. I was planning to ask Father’s permission at a better time, after he’d accepted her, but apparently that’s come to pass and he’s decided she can do better.”

“Loki-.”

“What. Are. The. Terms.”

“A simple fight. No Mjolnir, no magic. Fisticuffs or training swords. You choose.”

“Fisticuffs.”

“Loki, no.”

“You said to choose and so I did.” He turned and glared at his father, raising his voice. “It is decided.”

Odin nodded and Thor followed him onto the center of the field. They both knew Loki was going to lose. “Why choose this?” Thor snarled, clearly unhappy. 

“I’m sorry. Was I supposed to make it easy for you? Did you want a nice tidy scuffle with wooden sticks for the right to court her? Have I ruined your plans to go straight to dinner without getting dirty?”

“Brother-.”

“No. You will make me bleed into the dirt for that right, Brother.” He threw a punch and connected. “Inviting Frey was a nice touch. A correction on which of us to consult in the future, perhaps?”

Thor dodged the next blow and countered. Loki continued his verbal attack, not even caring if he wore himself out mentally. A look into the crowd found Nyx standing with his mother, her face frozen, the dead expression familiar from the one other time he’d seen her shut down. “If you have a shred of decency, finish it quickly,” he bit off.

“Are you mad? What do you speak of now-.”

Loki drew first blood and Thor hit him back hard enough to send him flying. He rolled to his feet and went back for more. “What do I speak of? I speak of Nyx having to watch this on the same field Caden tried to kill her on. Nyx, who’s done nothing wrong other than love me and not you!”

It must have been the adrenaline, because it proved harder for Thor to put him down than he would have thought. Loki, humiliated all over again by the applause of the crowd, had to be helped up by waiting healers. Nyx got to him seconds later and if he hadn’t been exhausted and injured, he might have been able to head off what happened next.

Sif made a comment on her way past with the Warriors Three and Nyx snapped back. Before anyone had the presence of mind to get between them, Sif swung around. Another comment, this one a direct insult for Loki and Nyx stepped in, so close that their boots touched. Thor started to move forward just as Sif mockingly drew a dagger.

Nyx disarmed her. Sif, face reddening with rage, tackled her to the ground. “Guards!” he yelled, but Thor, Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg were all grappling to get ahold of Nyx and Sif well enough to pull them apart. Then his mother ran onto the field and into the fray. 

“Lady Sif and Nyxanya,” she said, “cease this moment, the both of you!”

When that didn’t work she reached in and grabbed them both by the hair. Sif was about the same height as his mother, but Nyx was being held almost off her feet by the queen. “If you two are determined to fight, you will do it according to the rules and with a referee.” She turned and fixed his father with a look. “And I propose that the winner is worthy to choose her prince.”

The crowd buzzed with excitement. His father was still as a statue for several moments and then slowly, deliberately, he nodded. Thor was gaping at their mother. Everyone on the field, in fact, looked to be in shock. Loki tried to fix his wounds while the healers concentrated on dragging him off to the side.

“Clear the field!” Frigga called. Then she spoke to Nyx and Sif and waited, but he couldn’t hear what was said. When they nodded she released them and made a staying motion when both of them immediately began to circle. 

“Enough,” he yelled, spraying blood from his split lip. “Nyx, get over here.”

“Loki, you will not interfere,” his mother called out, loud enough for all in attendance to hear. “If you do, the fight is either forfeit or Nyx can choose to take one blow for each transgression.” She looked to Nyx and she nodded in agreement. Sif said something, gesturing in his direction angrily. “I will know if he uses magic, Lady Sif.”

Guards moved in to help clear the field. Thor was pacing like a great cat and repeatedly tried to engage their mother until she had him hauled off, to his obvious embarrassment. Loki sagged against the healers and was pushed down onto a chair. “Prince Loki?”

He turned his head and found Alrek attempting to push through to him. “Allow him through.” The oldest of the healers sighed and moved out of the way, circling to his other side.

Alrek held up a hand. “May I?”

He didn’t know what Alfheim’s prince meant at first, but then he realized he was offering to heal him. “Yes, of-.” He stopped at the sudden wave of magic and their eyes met. He hadn’t known the other prince was that gifted in the healing arts. Loki’s injuries were reduced until he felt nothing more than a dull ache throughout his body.

“The princess, is she in grave danger? The Lady Sif is a fierce combatant.”

Alrek was willing to circumvent whatever spell Frigga was planning to use to tell her if Loki performed magic. It was there in his unblinking gaze as well as in his tone of voice. He could protect Nyx without his mother knowing it. The only problem was that Nyx would know it.

He looked her way and drew a deep breath. “She wants this, or she wouldn’t agree to the terms,” he said, knowing Alrek would understand the true meaning of his words: _do not interfere._

“Then, if I may, I will stay here with you and the healers in case my assistance is needed.”

“I appreciate that, my friend,” he said quietly.

He turned his attention to his betrothed. Somewhere under the fear for her safety there was a flicker of exultation. He got to his feet and failed to catch the breathy moan, so like a woman, that escaped his lips upon realizing he was weak in the knees. Alrek’s arm slipped around him briefly. “Steady.”

He nodded, and the prince let go without another word. 

Nyx was a sight. Where Sif was rigid and tall and her movements jerky with anger as she stripped off her armor, Nyx was still and watchful, eyes narrowed. Coldly furious in contrast to Sif’s heat. “Who will referee?” Alrek asked after a minute.

“I know not. Mother will choose with care, I think. Sif has far more friends on Asgard than Nyx does.”

Two of the training instructors were consulted next. There was a lot of nodding as Frigga spoke briefly and then walked off the field and back to his father. “So the trainers?” Alrek guessed.

“It appears that way.”

“The queen’s rules look to be…simple.”

A response wasn’t necessary. The referees stepped out and it became obvious Nyx and Sif had chosen a fist fight. He’d suspected as much when Sif removed her armor. Alrek tensed when the whistle blew.

Sif charged immediately and, he knew, without fear. She was more than capable of winning and her opponent was small. Nyx’s reach was shorter and she would have to get closer than Sif would to do damage. Sif had also seen Nyx fight before and would be ready for her strategy: to wear her opponent out.

But Nyx had other ideas. She dodged Sif in the same manner she had Caden, and when Sif backed off, refusing the dance, Nyx attacked with blinding speed and took her completely off guard. Loki had expected her to have some small trick or plan; he just hadn’t expected it to be an ability to move faster than an Asgardian. In hindsight, he should have known because he _had_ seen her do it once. It had been after they’d closed the portal when Nyx was angry and he’d left the bedchamber to talk to her. He’d stumbled and she’d been at his side in a second. “You clever minx,” he purred.

“My eyes do not deceive me then?” Alrek asked, tearing his attention away from the fight.

“No. Nyx isn’t Midgardian, remember?”

Alrek didn’t answer, instead turning back to watch. The referees had already called a timeout and were questioning Sif. He had no doubt of the outcome. Nyx wouldn’t take illegal shots and Sif wouldn’t lie and say she had. 

He was right. The whistle blew again and Sif did an admirable job of trying to fight an opponent that was several times faster than herself. It was like watching a tornado take down a house. Sif had a good foundation and landed a number of blows simply by striking out in all directions, but in the end she couldn’t withstand the pressure. After she fell for the third time, she tapped out and Nyx was declared the winner.

The applause was enthusiastic in some sections and reluctant in others, but he was only half paying attention. Both of his parents made their way onto the field and silence fell quickly. “As the victor of this challenge, you may choose your Asgardian prince, the one you might consider for marriage into this, our royal family,” Odin declared with a sweeping gesture. Applause broke out again as the onlookers caught the wave of excitement. Royal weddings were few and far between, and celebrated with vigor in the realm eternal. “I, Odin All-father, advise you to make this choice honestly and wisely, and without fear of repercussion. Do you choose Thor Odinson, my first born, future king of Asgard, or Loki Odinson, my second born, master of magic?”

The crowd was still sucking in its collective breath when Nyx’s voice rang out. She didn’t look at him or Thor, but rather their father. “I choose Loki Odinson.”

There was applause. Alrek slapped him on the back and said something as he started to move forward. He might have seen the slightest smile on his brother’s face and his mother standing with her hand over her heart, but it all faded into the background until it was just him and Nyx. She went to his father’s left, visibly shaking, and met him in the middle where she might have hesitated if he hadn’t snatched her up. “Aren’t you hurt?” she gasped.

“Alrek healed me most of the way.” There were things he wanted to say and there were people already approaching to speak to them, but one thing pushed to the forefront: Nyx was shaking uncontrollably. “And you? Sweet, are you hurt badly?” He started to feel along her back, frantically seeking the cause of it when she spoke into his ear.

“I’m spent. Speed like that takes a massive amount of energy.” Her hands dug into the leather covering his back. “I don’t want Sif to know, she’ll figure out how to beat me next time.”

He couldn’t help his laugh. “There’s not going to be any next time.”

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

His parents came to stand next to them and his father spoke quietly. “Loki, that is enough. You need to let her go so that people might congratulate you. Even a potential engagement is big news for royals. Surely you know that.”

“Oh, give them a moment, dear,” Frigga said, her annoyance obvious in her clipped speech.

“I cannot let her go, Father. She can barely stand.”

“What?”

“Her fight strategy has drained her just as overuse of power drains us. And she would prefer it not be known.”

“I see.” 

“Fake an injury, Nyx,” Frigga whispered, and then turned and raised her voice. “Loki and Nyx will need to retire for healing as they have both sustained injuries.” She turned again quickly. “How long to recover?”

“Stuff me with food and a short nap and I can fake it through dinner.”

He started to object when the choice was taken from him. “You can congratulate them at dinner this evening, though it will be held over until dark,” his mother announced, and then signaled the healers. They converged, and Nyx was pulled away from him and placed on a stretcher. He refused one for himself and was trying to maneuver in to walk beside her when Thor got in his way. 

“Not in the mood, Brother,” he said shortly.

“I must speak with you.”

“No. Move.”

Thor stepped aside and their mother took up the place he vacated and walked along with them to his chambers. When they arrived, she allowed the healers to work the superficial injuries and then sent them away. If anyone thought it odd, they didn’t say a word. “Serra?”

“Yes, Your Majesty?” Serra came quietly out of the corner where she’d been wringing her hands. 

“What Nyx needs is food and rest, but that information is privileged. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.

“Good.” Both he and his mother turned to Nyx. “Anything special?”

“Protein. Aside from that, just lots and lots of calories.”

“Cheese and desserts, Serra. She dislikes meat.”

“She likes salmon and will eat chicken eggs,” his mother said, ignoring his surprise and looking again at Serra. “A cheese omelet, a side of smoked salmon and dessert. She’s partial to chocolate.”

“Skip the salmon, Serra, please. I can only hold so much,” Nyx said faintly.

His mother nodded her approval and Serra raced off to the kitchens. Loki wasted no time sitting on the chaise and gathering Nyx up against him. “Sleep until your meal arrives.”

“Mmmm.”

She was already drifting off. His mother took the chair opposite them. “Mother, I’m grateful for all you’ve done, more than I can say, but-.”

“Hear me out and then I’ll go. I know you want to be alone together; I’m not blind.” Seeing she had his attention, she continued. “That was no choice of Thor’s. He does not wish to court Nyx, and I want you to know that he did object on the grounds that you would hate him.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Your father has ascertained that you want to marry. I don’t think he knows that you asked—that was my fear as well—but he had reservations because you’ve fallen in love quickly with someone we know little about. He could not stop himself from questioning her loyalty, and so he devised a test. He wanted to see her reaction if your brother bested you. He dangled the possibility of being queen to see what she would do.”

“And did she pass the test to his satisfaction?”

“I…yes, dear. Forgive me, but I expected flying books and some yelling.”

He tightened his arms around Nyx and her hand creeped in under some of his garments, seeking flesh. She always went for skin when she was trying to soothe him. “I would be justified.”

“Yes, you would.”

He sighed. “I thought he’d decided she was valuable and that Thor should have her.”

His mother reached out with a hand and then dropped it back in her lap like it was heavy. “Oh, Loki-.”

“He’ll let us marry? Truly?” He knew he should feel mistreated and manipulated, and some part of him did, but he was two giant steps closer to getting what he wanted. 

“Yes. He’s going to speak to you about getting formally engaged. Probably soon.”

He nodded and Frigga stood to take her leave. “Will you deliver a message to Father?”

“What is it?”

“Please tell him we found a small portal near the sculpture gardens. I closed it.”

His mother looked relieved. He could just imagine what she thought his message was going to be. “I will tell him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In today's edition of totally useless trivia, this was my favorite chapter to write. I bet it flops. Ha.


	41. Our Son Is Distressed

CHAPTER 41

When Frigga returned to the throne room it was empty. She found her husband along with Thor, Frey, Alrek, and Grein in the attached parlor. They all stood at her arrival and waited for her to take a seat before speaking again. Odin looked at her expectantly, but she wasn’t feeling cooperative. She made him ask.

“Loki and Nyx are settled? Their injuries have been addressed?”

“Yes, my king. They will attend dinner as we planned. Also, I have a message from Loki.”

“Do you?”

She gazed upon him with an air of absolute calm. Her youngest and Nyx both had done well. “They found a small portal in Northeast Asgard near the sculpture garden.” Her husband jumped to his feet, and she let him. “No need to panic. Our son has seen to it.”

Odin sat once again. “He was able to close it himself?” Frey asked.

“Yes.” Frigga casually smoothed the skirt of her gown and smiled. “He must have perfected his spell for them to have found another portal so quickly.”

“Spell, my queen?” Alrek asked. 

“Oh, yes, you haven’t heard about it? Loki found a way to amplify the scent they give off for Nyx.”

Grein sat forward in his chair. “So she truly scent tracks?”

“Yes. She’s likely a shape-shifter and canines are the most common by a wide margin. Wolves specifically.”

Her husband looked at her. “How do you know that, Frigga?”

“Nyx told me, of course. I am her teacher in the Asgardian ways, and she in turn teaches me about her worlds. It’s fascinating, though quite sad.”

Thor, who had been silent until now, cleared his throat. “And do the wolves there move at super speed?”

Frey chuckled and elbowed Thor, taking it for a joke. “I know not, dear, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Their magic differs from ours. Nyx is often delighted by the simplest of tricks that Loki does for her.”

Thor kept his mouth shut for once and didn’t boast about his superior fighting skills or put down his brother’s field of study. That told her more than anything how poorly he was feeling. “Have you checked on Sif, Thor?”

He shrugged. “I’m sure she’s fine. She wouldn’t accept treatment outside, so Fandral and Hogun took her to the healing room.”

“It must be glorious to have beautiful women fighting over you and your brother,” Frey said. Frigga had to cover her mouth before she laughed at the ruler of Alfheim. He appeared quite taken by the idea.

“There’s been tension between Sif and Nyx from the start. I don’t know what possessed Sif this afternoon, but she did start it.”

“I can take a guess,” Grein said dryly, looking at Thor, who crossed and uncrossed his legs, fidgeting in his seat.

“But I _won_. Loki had to be helped off the field. Why say something nasty to Nyx when she was clearly already upset?”

Alrek quirked an eyebrow. “Perhaps Sif has feelings?”

“For Loki? No,” Thor insisted and both Alrek and Grein burst out laughing. Frigga felt for her son, but knew a little teasing would be good for him. He’d become far too comfortable heaping it on his younger brother and wasn’t often on the receiving end. Even his friends used Loki as a target.

“Perhaps Sif was unhappy at the prospect of you courting Nyx? You did, after all, win the right.”

“Nyx would never-.” Understanding dawned and Thor snapped his mouth shut. Alrek and Grein tried to contain their mirth, but lost it when even Frey barked at the look on Thor’s face.

“You could do worse, Thor,” Frey said after their laughter subsided. “The Lady Sif is a remarkable woman. I was impressed when she had the grace to tap out. It was clearly a lost battle, but many fighters would stay in until the bitter end. Like your brother did.”

“Loki wanted it that way. He said I would have to make him bleed into the dirt for the right to court Nyx.”

The room as a whole sobered and her husband’s fingers flexed on the arm of his seat, she noticed. “You’ll understand it better someday, Thor. When you fall in love yourself.”

#

Odin retired to their bedchamber for an hour’s rest before dinner, and Frigga retrieved the book she was reading from her nightstand. She’d just turned to leave when he spoke. “Our son is distressed.”

“Which one?” She knew, but she had a point to make.

“Thor.” He paused. “Loki is upset as well?”

“He feels betrayed by his brother and was humiliated in front of the woman he loves. What do you think?”

He grunted in response and then pushed himself up into a sitting position. “I hoped her triumph over Sif might pacify him.”

“Do you think it’s escaped Loki’s notice that he lost his fight and she won hers? Would that not sting your male pride?”

“Still, she fought for him. Magnificently, I might add.”

She walked back over to the bed and sat on the edge. “I’m not saying he’s not proud.”

Her husband reached for her hand and she let him take it. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles softly. “Then what are you saying, Frigga?”

“Everything is not about Thor. He’s always the focus of your attention, but you have another son as well-.”

He dropped her hand. “Whom I’ve been trying to protect from making a mistake! You heard what Thor said earlier, about making him bleed for the right! How do you think Loki would take it if it turned out she was using him?”

She stood up and started to walk away only to change her mind. She spun back around. “She’s not using him. She _loves_ him.”

Odin threw the covers off and climbed out of bed. He didn’t speak again until he was standing toe to toe with her. “I believe that now, and I will welcome her into our family if Loki chooses to marry her. Excuse me if I was concerned for my firstborn who gave his beloved little brother a beating today on my orders. Must it always come to this? You fighting for Loki and me fighting for Thor?”

She took his face in her hands and looked him in the eye. “You treat Loki differently, dear. You always have.”

“Loki is not set to ascend and he’s been in one form of trouble or another since he learned to crawl. And you saw fit to share magic with him!”

“Yes, I did, and he’s excelled at it. I might remind you that he closed a portal today _on his own_ after locating it with a spell he created _on his own_. Frey can’t wait to have him back. If Alfheim’s king can see his worth, why can’t his own father?”

“All of these changes are because of her. What happens when the novelty of love wears off, Frigga? Will we be back to scorpion stings and bilgesnipe in the stables in place of horses?”

“That was a long time ago and you know it-.”

“He got Caden with a scorpion.”

“Caden deserved it.”

Odin threw his hands up. “Fine, Caden deserved it.”

Her mother used to tell her that to miscommunicate was to fail at honesty. She took a deep breath and thought about what it was she wanted to accomplish. If she set everything else aside, what did she want out of this, her most recent argument with her husband? 

As soon as she boiled the problem down to the bone, she had her answer. “Will you give him this chance? To be something more?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this took so long and is so short. The holidays got the best of me this year and I had too many balls in the air at one time. The next chapter will be out in a couple of days - I'm almost done editing it. Thanks (as always!) for reading :)


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